Couple 'Battered Unconscious After Snubbing Man At Dinner'

A frail old couple were beaten unconscious on a luxury cruise liner by a fellow passenger over an alleged ‘snub’ at dinner, a court heard today. 

Ron Phillips, 70, and his wife June, 69, were both knocked out cold by burly Glaswegian Graeme Finlay.

Prosecutor Lewis Kerr told Teesside Crown Court said both Mr and Mrs Phillips were ‘with limited mobility’ for the cruise around the Canary Islands.

He said: “Mr Phillips walks with a crutch having had a hip replacement operation years ago and Mrs Phillips suffered limited mobility as a result of osteoarthritis.

“They went for dinner at 7.15pm on Jan 28 last year.

“They sat on a bigger group table that could seat six and were joined by another couple and then Mr Finlay but after a few minutes, for whatever reason, he left the table.

“All parties enjoyed their meal and all three had been drinking during the evening. As the night drew to a close Mr and Mrs Phillips went to their cabin on the third floor.

“Mr Phillips had two cups of cocoa in one hand and his elbow crutch in the other. Mrs Phillips was with him.

“He simply recalls someone else appearing behind him as he got to his door. The next thing he knew he felt a blow and woke up later in the corridor of the boat. He will say he was rendered immediately unconscious.”

His wife “saw a man punching her husband repeatedly”.

He added: “There was blood coming from his face. She tried to stop the assault and was thrown, knocked or pushed against a wall and she herself passed out unconscious.”

Mr Phillips was stretchered away to the ship’s medical bay while Mrs Phillips was taken away in a wheelchair.

The crew found bed sheets and a T-shirt in British Gas engineer Finlay’s cabin with blood markings.

He was “disembarked” and had to make his own way back to Glasgow.

Mr Kerr said: “The defendant was later interviewed by the police and he explained he had an argument with Mr and Mrs Phillips.

“He said he accepts he hit Mr Phillips but didn’t accept causing the injuries to Mrs Phillips.

“He said he was only ever acting in self defence. The prosecution say this was not a case of self defence but on any view the element of force went beyond what could be considered reasonable self defence.”

The attack came following a row which began at the dinner table of the ship, the court heard.

Finlay sat with the couple and another couple but felt he had been snubbed after trying to make conversation.

He later found himself in a lift with the Phillips and said: “You ignored me, I want an apology.”

Finlay claims that Mr Phillips’ response was to tell him to “f*** off” and said the argument continued as they got out of the lift.

Finlay’s barrister Peter Kilgour put it to Mr Phillips: “Mr Finlay walked away and you called him a rude w***** and lashed out at him with your crutch.”

Mr Phillips replied: “No never in my life have I hit anyone, not even my wife, you can ask her.”

Mr Phillips claimed there was no row in the lift and that he was attacked “without warning” by Finlay.

He added: “I was on the floor and my wife was complaining about her back, I’d fallen on my leg and all my weight had fallen on it, when they lifted me up I was very relieved I could still move it properly.”

Mr Phillips was asked by Peter Kilgour, for Finlay: “When he sat down he said hello to you and all of you completely ignored him.”

Mr Phillips said: “I wouldn’t ignore someone who had sat down at my table.”

Mr Kilgour put to him that his all inclusive card showed he had ordered seven G and Ts and his wife had ordered six.

Mrs Phillips swung in a punching motion as she told the court: “I saw Ron lying on the bulkhead and this great big guy going boof, boof, boof.

“He must have hit him five times. I put my hand on his arm and told him

“leave him alone you will kill him.”

Finlay, of Meadowside Quay Walk, Glasgow, denies unlawfully wounding Mr Phillips and causing Mrs Phillips grievous bodily harm.

The trial continues.

Culled From Mirrror