Teaching assistant's tears over Civic Hall brawl wanted photo

Hayley Jones, aged 33, had attended a charity boxing match at the Civic Hall where violence flared between two groups, Wolverhampton Crown Court heard.

Fights spilled outside the venue where Tom Hayes suffered a fractured skull and brain haemorrhage when Benji Groom, 29, allegedly stamped on his head.

• MORE FROM THE TRIAL: Man seriously injured in Civic Hall charity boxing brawl

Some weeks after the incident, Jones, who was working with Year 2 pupils at Woodthorne Primary School in Tettenhall, received calls from her friends telling her police had put out an appeal to trace her and that an image of her was on the Express & Star website, Mr Benjamin Close, prosecuting, told the jury.

Jones, of Mount Road, Tettenhall Wood, who denies affray, decided to tell headteacher Justin Crilly what happened and he was then asked to provide a statement to the police.

Reading the statement to the jury, Mr Close said: "I was on the school premises when I was approached by a member of staff who informed me I needed to speak to Miss Jones as she was upset and needed to talk to me.

"I spoke to Miss Jones in one of the intervention rooms. Miss Jones was very upset and distraught. She showed me her phone with images of her on the police website. She received some calls saying her picture was on the Express & Star's website.

"Hayley went on to tell me this was her image and was present. She told me something happened in the gents' toilets. She said she was involved in pushing and pulling around of people but nothing more than that."

The jury also heard about chaotic scenes outside the Civic Hall on October 18, 2014, with several fights taking place at the same time as police officers and door staff struggled to control the situation.

Those involved had been attending the charity boxing event in which members of the Punjabi Wolves supporters' group took on the emergency services.

Tickets went for as much as £80 at the black-tie event.

Statements from police officers were also read out, in which some told they arrived at the scene to see Tom Hayes motionless on the floor.

His brother Adam Hayes was sprayed with CS gas by an officer as he was deemed to be acting aggressively, Mr Close said.

Adam Hayes and another brother Jake Hayes have both admitted involvement in the brawl and pleaded guilty to affray.

Jason Lunt, 46, of Valley Road, Bloxwich, denies the offence.

The jury was also shown police camera footage of Groom, who denies causing grievous bodily harm with intent and affray, being arrested.

Police officers said they saw him running away from the Civic Hall.

He then stopped for officers near the University of Wolverhampton, the court was told.

Groom, of Ashmore Road, Willenhall, who was seen wearing a tuxedo, told police he was a mixed martial arts fighter and was not aware of any violence at the Civic Hall.

He also said he didn't know how he had received cuts to his knuckles.

The trial continues.