A VAN driver who is alleged to have punched a man unconscious while leaving the Cotswold Show in Cirencester Park two years ago appeared in court today.

Ross Gall, aged 39, of Chaucer Road, Weston-super-Mare, pleaded not guilty at Gloucester Crown Court to assaulting a man from Cirencester causing him actual bodily harm at around 2pm on Sunday, August 15 two years ago.

Prosecutor Catherine Flint said the victim had been out with his wife and four dogs and was returning home in his Land Rover but found that there were no free parking bays near his house so he pulled up onto a nearby road.

Ms Flint said: "He intended to take the dogs home, then return to his vehicle.

"He noticed a white van behind him which was being driven by the defendant.

"Mr Gall was huffing and puffing and looked quite agitated.

"He then got out of his vehicle and behaved in an aggressive manner making comments such as saying that he knew mixed martial arts."

The Cirencester man went home, and when he returned to get his Land Rover saw that Gall was still there.

Ms Flint said: "The victim turned to get into his Land Rover and that is the last thing he remembers.

"The next thing he knew he was waking up on the ground with a load of people standing around him."

The prosecutor also said that a neighbour and a local couple walking by saw the argument take place, witnessed Gall deliver a 'very hard punch' and saw the victim fall back and hit his head on the concrete.

The victim was taken to Gloucestershire Royal Hospital A&E in Gloucester and doctors found bruising and swelling on the back of his head, which was bleeding at the time.

He also had tenderness to the neck, shoulders and spine. 

A scan showed no other injury so he was discharged but later a few months later, in November, the victim had ongoing symptoms and saw a consultant who found a contusion to the spinal cord and diagnosed benign positional paroxysmal vertigo.

When Gall was arrested he said he was acting in self defence because he felt intimidated and threatened by the Land Rover owner's behaviour during their confrontation.

He said he only hit the victim once 'with no great force'.

The trial at Cirencester Courthouse continues and is expected to end on Wednesday or Thursday this week.