Pair accused of bashing

TWO Ballarat residents accused of assaulting a 25-year-old man in his Wendouree home appeared before a jury in the County Court at Ballarat yesterday.
Gregory John Clarke and Ronald Kenneth Jolly are alleged to have bashed David John Reid with a baseball bat in the early hours of October 4, 2003.
It is alleged the pair had a grievance with Mr Reid about an incident involving one of their friends, Michael Duffin.
The court heard Mr Reid had been involved in a fight with Mr Duffin two years earlier and had bitten part of his ear off.
Clarke, 31, of Napier St, has pleaded not guilty to one count each of aggravated burglary, intentionally causing injury, recklessly causing injury and criminal damage.
Jolly, 46, of Dana St, has pleaded guilty to recklessly causing injury, but not guilty to aggravated burglary, intentionally causing injury and criminal damage.
Mr Reid yesterday told the jury of eight men and four women that Jolly, Clarke and an unknown third man had barged through his front door and assaulted him about 6am on October 4, 2003.
He said he was pushed through a wall and wrestled to the ground, before being hit across the head with what felt like a "steel bar".
Mr Reid, appearing via video link from Fulham Correctional Centre, told the jury he was being "hit all over" with the weapon and that he heard the unknown man saying "kill him, just hurry up and kill him".
The alleged offenders then smashed some of the walls and left, he said.
The court heard Mr Reid rang for an ambulance and was taken to Ballarat Health Services Base Hospital, where he received staples in his head and stitches in his hand.
Mr Reid had met the accused men through Mr Duffin prior to the alleged assault, the court heard.
During cross examination by Clarke's defence counsel Shane Tyrrell, Mr Reid admitted using drugs and drinking heavily around the time of the alleged attack.
Mr Reid also admitted to having lied to doctors and the police after the alleged incident.
"You're a person who's prepared to tell lies to suit your own circumstances, aren't you Mr Reid?" Mr Tyrrell submitted to the witness.
"Yeah," Mr Reid replied.
The trial, before Judge Wendy Wilmoth, continues today.