Nick Eustice, 25, gave evidence in the Ballarat Magistrates Court yesterday about the alleged 2012 assault which left him hospitalised and a friend nursing bruising to the face and back. 

Contesting matters relating to the alleged incident, Kyle Peter Green, 25, sat in the dock of the court and listened to two witnesses recount their experience of the night. 

Green is pleading not guilty to multiple charges, including affray, recklessly causing serious injury and two counts of unlawful assault. 

Mr Eustice told the court he had been drinking at the Nerrina Tavern with another witness, Gary Madden, on February 3 last year before the incident in which both were assaulted. 

Mr Eustice, who said he was helping the owner of the hotel “keep an eye on things” while two 18th birthday parties took place, said one young man who was drinking underage was asked to leave.

The court was told that a short time later two car loads of men arrived at the hotel, before one of the men allegedly punched Madden in the face and struck him over the back with what the witnesses described as a “long shiny black bar”.

Mr Eustice said when he went to Mr Madden’s aid he was struck in the face with what he believed was a glass bottle. 

“I felt something smash across my face,” Mr Eustice said. 

“I heard the smashing sound.”

He told the court he was then taken to hospital with a broken jaw in two places, broken teeth and deep cuts to his face.

Mr Madden told the court he was left with bruising to his cheek and a “long shaped” bruise across his back. 

More witnesses are expected to be called when the contested hearing continues on May 21.