A former police community support officer on trial for an affray was allegedly "looking for retribution" after being spat at and branded a "piggy ****", a court has heard.

Kieran Bole was said to have "retaliated" in response to the physical and verbal abuse he claims to have suffered during a night out at Ramsgate's Clique Bar.

Those responsible had also previously subjected him to "some anguish" during his time serving the local community, Canterbury Crown Court was told.

But it is alleged that having left the venue in the early hours of Saturday, March 18, he returned about 40 minutes later with a friend, Sam Hayden, who was wearing a balaclava and armed with a baseball bat and a knife.

CCTV captured the melee that broke out in Harbour Parade as Bole repeatedly punched one man - Shay Hudson - before Hayden waded in, striking him over the head so hard with the bat that it snapped.

As the fracas continued, Hayden then slashed 24-year-old Edwin Parker to his right arm, leaving him "gushing blood" and needing six hours of surgery, jurors were told.

Hayden eventually fled on foot, leaving Bole still brawling in the street before getting into his car and driving away, stopping to pick up his friend – minus his jacket and the knife – from the high street nearby.

“You may think you would expect more from someone who has been a PCSO..."

The pair were arrested within a few hours and later charged.

The court heard Hayden, 22, of Hengist Road, Birchington, has now admitted his involvement in the fracas, including stabbing Mr Parker.

Bole, also 22 and of Argyle Avenue, Margate, denies affray and possessing an offensive weapon, namely the baseball bat.

At the start of his trial on Tuesday, prosecutor Andrew Hallworth told the jury: "Mr Bole was a PCSO and you may ask yourself what would you expect a PCSO to do in this situation.

"Would you expect this PCSO to leave the scene, pick up a friend with a baseball bat and knife on him, to return to the scene, to start a fight during which serious injury takes place and only then to drive away?

"Or would you expect a PCSO to report the matter to police and let the law take its own course?

"He had already resigned but he was someone who had experience as a PCSO. That was something he did until some point before this happened.

"But he was trained and you may think you would expect more from someone who has been a PCSO."

The jury was told although Bole did not stab Mr Parker, the issue was whether he had acted in self-defence during the affray and to what extent he was in "joint possession" of the bat.

Mr Hallworth said it was the prosecution case that as Bole swung several punches at Mr Hudson – who Bole claims had abused and spat at him earlier that night – Hayden acted as "referee".

"We say there was an agreement they had made that if Mr Bole looked as if he was losing his advantage, then Mr Hayden would step in and redress the balance," continued the prosecutor.

"That is why we say they are jointly in possession of the bat."

The CCTV footage, played in court, showed people milling around outside Clique Bar shortly after 4am, including Mr Hudson and Mr Parker.

Bole and Hayden were sitting in his car, parked "provocatively and deliberately" in the middle of the junction, said the prosecutor.

"He has gone back to the scene where he says he has been verbally abused, with a man in tow who has now pleaded guilty to stabbing someone, having a baseball bat and having a knife," said Mr Hallworth.

"Mr Bole's case, as I understand it, is that he didn't know Mr Hayden had a baseball bat.

“According to his interview (with police), the whole purpose of going back was so Mr Hayden could have strong words with Mr Hudson, one of those involved in the verbal abuse and spitting incident.

"You may think it's a little odd that a man going along for that purpose goes wearing a balaclava with a baseball bat and a knife."

A few minutes later, Mr Hudson was seen on camera running at the car, throwing a pint glass over it and then kicking the wing mirror.

It was at this point Bole "immediately" got out of the driver's seat and went towards Mr Hudson who was walking away. Hayden got out of the passenger seat brandishing the bat and followed.

Mr Hallworth said, however, that despite being punched by Bole as many as seven times, Mr Hudson reacted by "ducking and weaving".

"Mr Bole is taking his retaliation against Mr Hudson, who is doing no more than letting Mr Bole punch and try to punch him," he told the court.

"Was it necessary for Mr Bole to get out of his car when Mr Hudson was already walking away? Are his actions in self-defence? Was he defending himself or was he the aggressor?

"The footage shows him swinging several punches....When he decides to act in that way, is he acting lawfully defending himself, defending his property or defending anyone else?"

The court heard that after being hit with the bat by Hayden, Mr Hudson continued to "roll with the punches, ducking and weaving".

It was after the weapon snapped, that Mr Hallworth said Hayden reached for his knife from his back pocket and went towards Mr Hudson again as the fracas continued.

At this point Mr Parker threw Hayden to the ground and was slashed with the blade.

Giving evidence, Mr Parker told the court he had little memory of what happened that night as he was "very drunk".

"I don't actually remember anything. I remember coming out of the bar and the next thing blood just come out of my arm," he told the jury.

"I needed six hours of surgery. I nearly lost my arm."

During cross-examination by Bole's barrister, Ronnie Manek, Mr Parker denied being with Mr Hudson in the nightclub or calling Bole a "piggy ****".

He admitted he had called Bole "sausage" when, three days before the trial got underway, he saw him in the Village Pantry in Cliftonville. But he denied it was a reference to his former PCSO role and accused Mr Manek of "twisting things".

"Why am I going to call him a pig? It doesn't make sense," Mr Parker maintained.

He did accept however that he could have "possibly" seen Mr Hudson abusing Bole in Clique and just did not remember

But when it was suggested he both knew Mr Bole and his one-time police role, Mr Parker maintained: "I had never heard of him before. I hadn't heard of Hayden. I didn't know him before this incident."

The trial continues.