A man has denied driving two brothers to a Fife yard to be beaten up in “retribution” for a quad bike theft.
Owen Bonner told an abduction and assault trial he only wanted the brothers to return a little girl’s Christmas present.
Bonner, along with brothers William and John Matthew, is accused of taking John and Lee Dunsire in a van to William Matthew and Son contractors site in Kirkcaldy on April 13 2021 and savagely beating them.
The trial heard previously from the alleged victims who said they were “toyed” with during the attack and struck with a pick axe shaft.
Both of them needed surgery for broken bones.
John Dunsire has already admitted he stole a quad bike from the yard the night before.
Christmas present claim
Giving evidence at Kirkcaldy Sheriff Court on Tuesday, Bonner said he was approached at the yard as he collected work tools by a man calling himself ‘Dave’ who told him his daughter’s quad bike had been stolen.
Bonner, 24, said: “He told me he had just bought it for Christmas and I told him I would put a post on Facebook to see if anyone offered it.
“I knew how I would feel if my daughter’s quad was stolen.”
Bonner said he later received a call from someone saying they had been approached by two men offering the stolen vehicle.
He said he contacted them by phone and made arrangements to pick them up in town.
Bonner said he discussed prices with them and was directed to the quad bike, which was stashed under black bags in a garden.
Bonner said: “As soon as I seen it I knew from the picture it was that.
“I asked him where he got it from and he told me the yard down the road.
“I said it’s a little girl’s quad bike and that it wasn’t nice (to steal it).”
He said he offered to help Mr Dunsire take it back and then drop off him and his brother.
Denies assault
Bonner said he drove to the yard with both brothers in the van and when he parked, two men pulled them out and started attacking them.
Bonner claimed he did not know the men and, “terrified”, got back into his van and drove off.
He said he turned at the bottom of the yard before heading back towards the only site entrance and could still see “commotion going on”.
Bonner said he saw John Dunsire lying on the ground and got out to help him by giving him a crutch he had seen lying in a pile of metal.
The trial heard previously from Lee Dunsire that he saw Bonner punch his brother in the head while in the van and say to him it was “my f***ing quad bike, what you going to do about it now?”
Bonner strenuously denied allegations of kicking or punching the brothers and said it was not his quad bike.
During cross examination, Procurator fiscal depute Ronnie Hay pointed out to Bonner the attackers at the yard were “a bit hasty” given they were immediately pulling the Dunsires out of the van, leaving him alone.
Mr Hay suggested there must have been been communication between Bonner and people at the yard.
The fiscal depute argued Bonner had made a deal with the brothers for the quad bike and “reeled them” in by saying he would take them to his mother’s house to get the money.
The fiscal also asked Bonner if the trial would be hearing from ‘Dave’.
Bonner replied: “No, I don’t think so. I have not met him again since”.
Allegations
The three men – from the Kirkcaldy area – deny abduction and assault.
The charges state they repeatedly punched and kicked the Dunsires in the body and repeatedly struck them in the head and body with a pick axe shaft.
It is also said they stood on John Dunsire’s head.
The alleged attack is said to have resulted in severe injury, permanent impairment and disfigurement to both brothers and been to the danger of John Dunsire’s life.
The men are also accused of making threats of violence to the brothers.
Former co-accused Connor Davies was formally found not guilty last week.
The trial, before Sheriff Robert More, continues.
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