Max Evans trial: star admitted lashing out, court is told

SCOTLAND rugby star Max Evans spoke of his “mistake” when questioned by police about glassing a man in a nightclub, a court has heard.

Evans said the man, Alasdair McCaig, had verbally and physically assaulted him and he had “stupidly retaliated” with a blow using a hand holding a glass.

“I am not a violent person. I know who I am. I am a public figure. Tonight was a mistake and I felt provoked … I didn’t intentionally glass him,” Evans, 28, had stated.

Earlier, a woman who had been with Evans that night told the jury at Edinburgh Sheriff Court that Mr McCaig seemed to have been trying to provoke the internationalist.

Sarah Jane Bell, 28, a nanny, said Evans was “absolutely not” looking for trouble.

Evans denies assaulting Mr McCaig, 29, to his severe injury, permanent disfigurement and permanent impairment on 1 August, 2010 at Lulu nightclub, George Street, Edinburgh. He pleads self-defence.

PC Alistair Knox, 39, said Evans had been interviewed in the early hours of the morning after being taken to a police station. He had said he went to the club with two Glasgow Warriors teammates, Graeme Morrison and John Barclay, but met Ms Bell, whom he had known from earlier occasions.“For a period of about 20 minutes, some guy seemed to have an issue with me. I don’t know the reasoning behind it but he obviously had a problem with me,” Evans said.

The man had made a remark about Evans’s sexuality, and Evans responded with a comment that the man was a “weasel”.

He continued: “He then hit me to the face … I stupidly retaliated and I had a glass in my hand. I did not intentionally mean to hit him with the glass. I reacted and meant to strike a blow back, but had a glass in my hand. It was a reaction.”

In his evidence, Mr McCaig had insisted there was no interaction with Evans before he was struck with a glass near the right eye.

Ms Bell told the court yesterday she and a number of girlfriends had gone out for the night and went to Lulu. She knew Evans, having met him a couple of times before, at a reception for the Six Nations rugby championship and at the nightclub. That night, she saw him at the entrance to the VIP lounge.

She said she got on well with Evans and they kissed.

At one point, however, Mr McCaig pushed towards them when there appeared to be plenty of room at the bar, and words were exchanged although she did not hear what was said.

When asked what had happened next, Ms Bell said: “That’s when I cannot remember what happened.

“The next thing I remember is Max being taken by the bouncers.”

The trial continues.