Man denies threats

Tony Allen is alleged to have waved a rapier - type sword at Indreti 'Nino' Martinez and Kutim Daci outside the Ice Cube bar in St Leonards Road.

Allen, of Preston Road, is also alleged to have struck Mr Martinez with a metal dog chain after a dispute in May 2004.

Hove Crown Court heard how Allen's partner Maria Long had been friends with Mr Martinez's wife Daniella.

Allen told a jury that Ms Long had lent Mrs Martinez 1,000 to pay off a debt but had got only half of it back.

He said that on the day of the incident Ms Long had gone to buy cigarettes at the Ice Cube pub near their flat when he saw Mr Martinez pushing her head against a door.

He said: "I went over and told him, 'Don't put your f***ing hands on my woman.' Me and Maria went back indoors and an hour later I went out to walk the dog.

"There was a car outside and these two guys were getting out and approaching me. I thought there was going to be trouble because it was the same guy who pushed Maria.

"They were saying, 'Do you want trouble?', and I said if they hurt me I would hurt them.

"Nino kicked me on the thigh and I took up a defensive stance to make it clear I was not going to be intimidated. They got in their car and went off. It all lasted about five seconds and nothing happened. I never had a sword or swung the dog lead. The lead was around the dog's neck."

Earlier, Mr Martinez told the court Allen swore at him, called him an Albanian refugee and told him to go back to his own country during the confrontation.

He claimed his hand was cut and bruised when Allen swung the dog chain at him. He also alleged that Allen waved the rapier and stabbed it at his friend Mr Daci although it did not hit him.

He said: "His girlfriend came down with a sword that looked like Zorro's sword. It was huge with a thin blade."

In his closing speech Jeffrey Lamb, defending, said the alleged outstanding loan was at the root of the dispute: "That is what this was really all about.

"We say Mr Martinez made up these allegations against Tony Allen to get him off their back as far as the money was concerned."

Allen denies racially aggravated assault, affray and possessing an offensive weapon.

A jury was expected to retire to consider its verdicts at the time of going to press.

The trial continues.