Brian ‘Jim’ Kindred on Liberation Day in 2005. His celebration of the event this year turned sour in the early hours at North Plantation. (Picture by Alex Digard, 70419)

A 71-YEAR-OLD man punched a doorman in the face in front of two police officers after he had been thrown out of Folies nightclub.

The incident happened at 1.50am on 10 May, the Magistrate’s Court was told.

Brian [known as Jim] Kindred, of White Lodge, Sous les Courtils, Albecq, Castel, denied behaving in a disorderly manner at the North Plantation.

Folies doorman Billy Gibson told the court how his attention had been drawn to one of the bars, where he found Kindred being ‘over zealous’ with a female member of staff, claiming his drink had been stolen.

Last orders had been called at 1.30am. Kindred became aggressive and Mr Gibson called for help from a colleague to escort him from the premises.

He said Kindred would not calm down and he and his colleague led him downstairs to a fire exit.

Kindred told the doormen that he was going to punch one of them and was said to have been using the type of language more associated with a teenager.

Mr Gibson led Kindred through the door as a colleague closed it behind them. Outside, he saw two police officers. When Kindred seemed to quieten down, Mr Gibson asked a police officer if he could let Kindred go. When she said yes, Kindred turned around and punched Mr Gibson in the face with his right fist, causing him to bite his tongue. Mr Gibson said he had not wanted to press charges.

The police officers took hold of Kindred’s arms and when he continued to struggle they took him to the ground and handcuffed him. He was taken to the police station.

Kindred told the court he had been dragged down the stairs with an arm around his neck. He had ended up on his haunches at the bottom of the stairs while Mr Gibson had been on his knees.

‘I didn’t like the look in his eyes [Mr Gibson’s] and I thought that if I was going to get hit. It was best to fire first, so I punched him,’ said Mr Kindred.

PC Julie Duquemin told how she was standing at the North Plantation when her attention was drawn to shouting near a fire exit at Folies. She said that Kindred had punched Mr Gibson right in front of her and blood was coming from the doorman’s mouth.

PC Jason Exall said Kindred punched the doorman so hard that he heard a smacking sound on Mr Gibson’s face.

He said Kindred said: ‘I have dynamite in my pocket.’

Kindred claimed he said: ‘Have I got dynamite in my pocket or something?’

Kindred told the court he had gone out at about 9.45pm on Liberation Day and had drunk about two alcoholic drinks. His recollection of the incident bore no comparison with that of the prosecution witnesses.

Finding Kindred guilty, Judge Philip Robey said he did not think the defendant had come to court to lie but Mr Gibson’s evidence had been compelling and had matched accounts given by the police officers.

He said Kindred might not have realised how much he had to drink. The court heard that Kindred had been convicted of drink-driving in June last year.

Judge Robey said it concerned him that, after a lifetime of good behaviour, Kindred had been convicted of two serious offences within a short space of time. He ordered a probation report to be prepared ahead of sentencing on 8 October but said Kindred would not be sent to prison.