Australia - High profile bikie Troy Mercanti went on trial in the District Court today on a charge of grievous bodily harm in relation to an alleged nightclub assault.
Mr Mercanti has pleaded not guilty to doing grievous bodily harm to 27-year-old Gregory Festonich, who suffered a broken jaw in the incident.
The offence is alleged to have occurred in the Geisha Bar in Northbridge in the early hours of May 13 last year.
The jury was told by Judge Mary Ann Yeats that Mr Mercanti had received media publicity in the past. However, she warned members of the jury not to do any research or investigation on the internet in relation to him.
They had to judge the case against Mr Mercanti solely on the evidence at the trial, said Judge Yeats.
Security footage played to the jury showed Mr Festonich approaching a woman who was talking to Mr Mercanti at the bar of the nightclub.
A short time later Mr Festonich is knocked to the ground by two or three punches thrown by Mr Mercanti.
Defence lawyer Con Heliotis told the jury that there was no dispute Mr Mercanti punched the other man who then suffered a broken jaw.
The only issue was whether Mr Festonich said or did something which caused Mr Mercanti to throw the punch.
The trial has been listed for three days.
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