Court hears Chichester security guard headbutted teenager before restraining him
Two men are standing trial accused of false imprisonment
Last updated 20th Aug 2024
A security guard headbutted a 15-year-old boy before falsely detaining him and a friend in Chichester's Superdrug shop, Portsmouth Crown Court has heard.
3\0 year old Jake De-Geus from Chichester, and 40 year old Edwin Hirst from Fareham are both accused of the false imprisonment of the two teenagers during the incident in March 2023.
Both defendants, who were contracted to work for Chichester BID (Business Improvement District), are also charged with assault by beating against the teenager - and Hirst is accused of the assault of a second boy.
Paul Fairley, prosecuting, told the court that the two complainants with another friend were in the store looking to buy a bottle of shampoo when the two private security guards started following them.
He said that the boys started "messing around" to "get a rise" out of the security guards, including putting a bottle in someone's pocket.
The prosecutor said that De-Geus is accused of then headbutting the teenager, with the two defendants then using "unjustified" force to detain him and his friend.
Hirst is accused of punching the second complainant in the testicles.
Mr Fairley said the first complainant told police that the rangers began following them.
He added: "It's accepted by the two defendants that they decided to follow them, staying very close to them, making sure that they weren't doing anything or stealing anything."
He said that the group of friends started "being cheeky or teasing and are trying to get a rise out of the two security guards, they started messing around".
He added that as the security guards detained the two teenagers "there was an almighty struggle, stock was knocked from the shelves as (the complainant) was swung by Mr De-Geus into the stand".
"Other members of staff came to see what the commotion was," he said.
He said that the friend "tried to pull the other security guard off and got a punch to the testicles for his trouble by Mr Hirst".
The prosecutor said De-Geus claimed that the first complainant "squared up" to him and headbutted him.
He added that the two security guards say they had a legal right to detain the two teenagers, the same as a citizen's right to arrest someone for acting illegally.
The case comes after a video of the incident was circulated on social media.
The defendants deny the charges and the trial continues.