Rock fan allegedly attacked at Alice Cooper concert in Southampton

John Lynch and his ex-wife had settled into their seats in the balcony at Southampton Guildhall and were listening to a warm up act when the violence flared, it was alleged.

The court heard that Andrew Miller had drawn attention to himself by removing his shirt, sitting bare chested, and then removing his artificial leg which he put alongside him.

Mr Lynch, a service manager who works with the disabled, described how he and his former wife were watching the support band when stocky built Miller, wearing leathers, came along the balcony shouting and whooping.

He sat down but got up two or t h r e e times and took off his leather jacket.

“He was bare chested and there was a noticeable body odour which was quite unpleasant.

“He was moving around in his seat a lot and was moving into mine. At one stage he took off his false leg and put it on the balcony in front of us.”

Mr Lynch said he tried to ignore him and watch the support band but during the interval he asked the man to remain in his own seat and not lean into his.

“He gave an a g g r e s s i v e response and said something about having three brothers who would sort me out. I told him ‘Don’t be ridiculous.

Stay in your seat and we can both enjoy the concert’.

“He started to shove his elbow into my right side. It h a p - p e n e d two or three times and he was being quite aggressive and intimidating.”

His former wife suggested they should leave because there was going to be trouble. He got up to follow but was grabbed.

“My head was pushed down and there was a series of punches coming into my head and face. It happened a lot of times. I felt I was being battered.”

Mr Lynch said he tried to break away and swung the man’s motor cycle helmet but didn’t think he made contact.

“I staggered back, touched my face and felt it covered in blood.”

Lindsay Seal told the city crown court how the man kept knocking into her ex-husband who was getting on edge.

“He turned to me and said ‘Why is this happening?’ He asked the man to keep still and to stop in a placid and respectful manner but that wasn’t successful.”

She sensed there was going to be trouble and they stood up to go, but by the time she reached the end of the gangway, she saw her former husband held down and being repeatedly punched.

Ms Seal said she went back to get between them but half fell into the row behind. Then she heard someone had called the police.

Andrew Miller, 46, from Southbourne, Emsworth, denies causing actual bodily harm to Mr Lynch who was taken to hospital suffering from a cut wrist and facial bruising.

He told police he had acted in self defence and had only struck Mr Lynch once after being hit with the helmet.

Proceeding.