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Beating victim Paul Scott was 'used as punch bag' in attack from Robert Alderman that was to prove fatal in Gillingham

Robert Alderman at Maidstone Crown Court
Robert Alderman at Maidstone Crown Court

A dad-of-five who died after his leg was broken during a late night incident was at one point on his knees “being used as a punch bag”, his brother has claimed.

Afterwards, Gary Chaplin said his brother Paul Scott was struggling to walk and covered in blood.

“It was like something out of a horror film, to be honest,” he told a jury.

Maidstone Crown Court has heard Robert Alderman, 22, attacked 43-year-old Mr Scott after he saw him damaging wing mirrors on vehicles in Gillingham.

Mr Scott, family and friends had been to Palm Cottage Social Club in Canterbury Street and Alderman had been at nearby Bliss nightclub.

Alderman allegedly repeatedly punched Mr Scott and kicked and stamped on him while he was on his knees and demanded: “Say sorry and I will stop hitting you.”

Prosecutor Anthony Haycroft said an ambulance was called and medics “simply told him to go home and he will get better”.

But 20-stone Mr Scott’s right leg was broken and he died four days later on February 14 from a pulmonary embolism – a blood clot in a main artery in the lung.

Alderman, of Canadian Avenue, Gillingham, denies murder and an alternative charge of manslaughter. He admits affray and assaulting Mr Chaplin.

Paul Scott died four days after Gillingham fight
Paul Scott died four days after Gillingham fight

Mr Chaplin told how family members and friends met at his brother’s house on the evening of February 9 and after a couple of drinks went to the social club.

“The mood that night was fantastic,” he said. “It was a great night. Paul didn’t really want to go. In the end it was a great family atmosphere.”

They arrived at the club at about 8.30pm and left at closing time.

“I was buzzing,” he continued. “I was very drunk. I probably had six or seven cans of extra strong lager and one pint of Stella. It makes you feel good.

“Obviously, Paul was drunk as well. He was in very good spirits. A jolly good time was had by all. He wasn’t paralytic, not as drunk as I was.

“It was like something out of a horror film, to be honest" - Gary Chaplin

“We all go to the pub for a drink and we are what we are when we leave.”

The incident happened after Mr Scott’s wife Michelle took the children home because the weather was “atrocious”.

Consultant orthopaedic surgeon Anthony McEvoy said the cause of Mr Scott’s pulmonary embolism was most likely due to the fracture to the fibula bone in his right leg.

“This is a highly unusual fracture pattern and the most likely cause is by direct force applied to the fibula,” he said. “In a fight it can be caused by a direct kick or stamping on that area.”

Mr McEvoy said the most common way for the bone to be fractured was by twisting the ankle.

Paul Scott died days after an attack by Robert Alderman
Paul Scott died days after an attack by Robert Alderman

“You can tell if it is a twist,” he explained. “We don’t see that in this case.”

It was not consistent with Mr Scott falling down and striking it in any way. “A stamp would be consistent with that injury,” he continued.

It would be possible to walk after sustaining such a fracture, “albeit with pain”, which would worsen.

Alderman’s QC David Nathan asked: “Are you aware he was very drunk? Alcohol is a very effective anaesthetic isn’t it?”

The trial continues.


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