A JUDGE has begun his summing up in the trial of four men accused of carrying out an attack at a Hallowe’en party.

The defending barristers finished their closing statements yesterday before Judge Stephen Hopkins QC started summing up the case to the jury in the trial of Joshua Mellor, Ashley Jones, Gethin Lear and Nicholas Beddis.

All have been standing trial accused of the wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm to Mark Groves.

Mellor, 21, of Hillside Drive, Pontypool is also accused of common assault against Luke Jackson while Jones, 20, of Ridgeway, Pontypool, is also accused of assault occasioning actual bodily harm against Mr Jackson.

The offences are alleged to have happened at a Hallowe’en themed house party in Brynwern, Pontypool on October 28 last year.

All the defendants deny all of the charges.

The Argus reported how Mellor admitted hitting Mr Groves, but claims he only did it because Groves approached him in an aggressive manner.

Lear, 21, of Penrith School Lane, Pontypool, said he had tried to intervene but claims Mr Groves had punched him as he tried to stop them fighting.

He said as he was recovering from the punch he saw Mr Groves was about to hit him again, so he punched Mr Groves.

Jones said he had also tried to intervene between Mellor and Mr Groves, but claims Mr Groves' friend, Mr Jackson, had put his hand on Jones' shoulder 'aggressively' and the pair had ended up tussling on the floor.

Beddis denies any involvement.

In a closing statement to the jury yesterday, barrister Andrew Morse, who represents Lear, said that the “blow” made by Lear was “simply reasonably, proportionately and necessary and self defence.”

Judge Hopkins QC, in summing up, said that it was the case of Mellor that no violence took place and that in the case of Jones he had said that there was no violence from him towards Groves and that he was not part of any agreement to cause him any injury.

The judge said Beddis’ case was that he was not violent towards anybody.

The prosecution allege it was a “brutal attack” which left Mr Groves with three broken teeth and a damaged palate.

Proceeding.