An argument between drinking buddies has ended in court after two men found themselves in a verbal dispute turned physical.
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Benjamin Francis Bolton, 42, appeared in the Ballarat Magistrates' Court on Wednesday charged in relation to events at the Royal Hotel in Daylesford on the evening of March 13, 2021.
About 5pm, the complainant arrived at the pub and he, Bolton and two other acquaintances had dinner and drinks.
The group's numbers later dwindled, leaving the accused and the complainant to continue drinking.
The court heard the pair "started chatting to some ladies they didn't know" before they got into a verbal argument with each other "about trees".
Magistrate Mark Stratmann confirmed this in court with a raised brow: "Trees?"
Police prosecutor Senior Constable Jack Fletcher said the men then decided to take the argument outside.
"The accused has gone to the alleyway [beside the pub] followed by the victim," he said.
"The accused then turned around and struck the victim in the face causing him to fall to the ground.
"The accused has run off in an unknown direction."
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The complainant got up and walked to Daylesford hospital and was later taken to Ballarat Base Hospital for his injuries; multiple fractures to the left cheekbone and eye socket.
The man made a report to Daylesford police three days later.
Defence counsel for Bolton said the accused's version of events were at odds with the complainant's report: "The police asked, 'why did you hit him'? My client answered, 'I was scared, I heard his footsteps'."
"He basically said to police, 'I hit him before he hits me'," the defence said.
"His version was the victim has been following him wanting to fight all night."
Bolton sat quietly in the courtroom throughout the proceedings.
The defence told the court more evidence on the extent of the complainant's injuries needed to be gathered to determine if the charge of 'recklessly causing serious injury' or - a lesser charge - of 'recklessly causing injury' should go ahead.
The charges carry maximum penalties of 15 and five years jail respectively.
Bolton is also charged with unlawful assault, carrying a maximum three months jail.
The accused also faced one charge of intentional criminal damage for a separate incident on March 18, 2021, when he is alleged to have kicked the panels on car belonging to a different complainant with whom he "had a past history".
The court heard he was captured on CCTV damaging the vehicle.
The matters will return to court on March 1.
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