Court hears tourist was glassed in a row over al-Megrahi

AN AMERICAN student visiting Scotland for a wedding had a glass smashed over his head by an Edinburgh hotelier after a discussion about the release of the Lockerbie bomber, a court has heard.

Samuel Hogue, 25, said bed and breakfast owner William Preston, 58, had been talking about the release of the Abdelbaset Ali al-Megrahi and the affect it would have on the tourism trade in Scotland.

The business student, who had been in Scotland to attend a wedding and was due to fly back to America the following day, said Preston had been chatting with him and giving him free drinks after returning from a night out with his wife, Annette, when he was suddenly attacked.

He told Edinburgh Sheriff Court yesterday: "Right before the incident happened Preston was talking about the Lockerbie bomber because earlier that week he was released from prison and he said America were going to have an unofficial boycott on Scotland and it would affect the tourism.

"I was listening to him talking about the Lockerbie Bomber and the affect it would have and the only thing I said was that stinks and he stopped and looked at me and I saw the glass coming at me and it hit me on the head.

"I blacked out and fell off the stool and said why did you just do that. I fell backwards off my stool and then I just ran after I realised what happened. I could hear blood coming out of my head. I wasn't expecting to be hit on the side of the head. I didn't know what was going on."

Mr Hogue, who flew from his home in Louisiana, USA, to give evidence, said he had knocked on the doors of houses neighbouring the Ceilidh-Donia B&B at Marchhall Crescent, Edinburgh, to try to get help.

He said Mrs Preston had come out and was trying to get him to come back to the hotel so she could help him.

He was taken by ambulance to hospital and thought he had around seven stitches.

Mr Hogue said: "When I was in hospital I remember feeling paranoid and freaked out. I felt I was going to die that night."

The court was told Mr Hogue has been left with a two and a half inch scar which is close to his hairline and temple. Mr Hogue also said that he had grown his hair long in an attempt to cover the scar.

In cross examination defence solicitor advocate Richard Goddard put it to Mr Hogue that he had used a derogatory phrase about Scottish people which sparked a fall-out and Preston had tried to get his whisky tumbler back resulting in a struggle and both men being injured. But Mr Hogue denied this was the case.

Preston, of Marchhall Crescent, Edinburgh, denies assaulting Mr Hogue by hitting him on the head with a glass or similar object on August 24 last year. He has lodged a special defence of self defence.Preston denies a further charge that he shouted and swore, threatened to kill police officers and breached the peace also on August 24 at his home address and elsewhere.

The trial in front of Sheriff Mhairi Stephen continues.