A 28-YEAR-OLD man accused of hitting another man in the head with a glass in a nightclub has been convicted of trying to intimidate the victim into retracting his statement to the States police.
Following a three-day trial, which ended yesterday, a Royal Court jury unanimously found Elias Campbell Benyoucef guilty of attempting to pervert the course of justice.
The victim told the court that he had been hit in the head by a glass in Rojo, in Beresford Street, in the early hours of 29 July 2023.
He did not see Benyoucef throw the glass but turned round to find him standing about two metres away from him laughing, and with his hands empty, the court heard.
Benyoucef did not stand trial for assault.
The man explained that on a night out after the incident, Benyoucef and a group of his friends approached him in West’s Centre and tried to persuade him to retract his police statement. CCTV footages showed Benyoucef appearing to say to him: “Come on then, we’re outside now.”
He said Benyoucef also showed him photos on his mobile phone of him walking home from work and said: “Be careful, you are being watched.”
The jury of ten men and two women returned their guilty verdict after a day of deliberation.
Benyoucef will return to the Royal Court for sentencing on 6 March. The Bailiff, Sir Timothy Le Cocq, was presiding.
