Man denies attacking gay squatter
A man accused of taking part in a one-hour attack on gay squatter has continued to deny his involvement.
Neil Warner, his former lover Jonathan Wicks, and 2007 X-Factor contestant Kim Marrero were charged with carrying out the attack on Keiran Dulai.
Getreading.co.uk reports that Warner’s police interview was read out at Reading Crown Court yesterday, in which he suggested that Mr Dulai was “a compulsive liar”.
When asked whether he had called Mr Dulai a racist insult, Mr Warner maintained: “I am not a hater.
“I am not racist. My grandmother came from Barbados.”
Though Mr Warner admits that he did visit Mr Dulai on the night of the attack, he said it was just to use the bathroom. He told the police he was only there long enough to “pull down his trousers and have a ****”.
Mr Dulai, who became homeless after disagreements with his family over his sexual orientation, has alleged the trio bombarded him with homophobic and racist insults and poured detergent on him.
Mr Warner announced that he would never have trashed Mr Dulai’s squat because such an act would be “bang out of order”.
Witnesses Anna Shea and Louise Barney also gave evidence yesterday. Both had been in the pub, The Malthouse, at the time Mr Dulai went there for help after his attack.
Ms Barney said: “He appeared to have been beaten up. He had a swollen eye and was covered in blood. He seemed to be in a state of shock.”
Both women said initially Mr Dulai refused to tell them who had attacked him but eventually named the three defendants.
Mr Dulai was beaten with a TV set, computer and DVD player and hit with a curtain rod at the flat he was staying at in Reading town centre on April 24th last year.
Only Wicks, 21, of Oxford Road, West Reading, has admitted one count of assault, one of criminal damage and one of theft.
Warner and Marrero two deny the charges against them. The case continues.
