Dustin Lance Black punched in head in nightclub altercation, court hears

Tom Daley’s Oscar-winning husband Dustin Lance Black was punched in the head after he allegedly grabbed a woman’s wrist in a London nightclub, a court has heard.

Black, who married the Olympic champion diver, 29, in 2017, is charged with assaulting Teddy Edwardes by beating her in Soho on August 18 last year.

The American film-maker, 49, was due to stand trial at Westminster Magistrates’ Court in London on Tuesday but the case was adjourned and rescheduled to a later date because of missing evidence.

Prosecutor Adrita Ahmed said there was an “altercation in a nightclub” and that the Crown’s case is Black “grabbed Ms Edwardes’ wrist and twisted it”, causing a drink to spill on her.

She said that “as a result Ms Edwardes has retaliated”, and was subsequently cautioned by police for “going too far in self-defence”.

“The defendant grabbed her wrist and twisted it, and that is what causes the drink to spill, the action,” Ms Ahmed said.

Black pleaded not guilty to the single charge at a preliminary hearing at the same court in April.

Outlining the defence case, Helena Duong, for Black, said: “Mr Black described Ms Edwardes effectively shouting at him and being aggressive.

“What the defence would say is in fact what you can see on CCTV is immediately, at the very beginning, Mr Black trying to walk away, I think that much is clear.

“She turns to him, appears to reach out in a way.

“She seems to reach out, and then there’s an exchange between them in which she continues to be aggressive and shouts at him, and he reacts to that and then she makes a movement, gesticulating, which is what causes Mr Black to reach for the glass.”

She said Edwardes was later cautioned for “punching him in the back of the head afterwards” as he left the nightclub, the court heard.

CCTV footage played in court showed Mr Daley and Black mingling in the nightclub before the incident unfolded.

After watching the video, chief magistrate Paul Goldspring said Black’s alleged offence would fall in the “lowest category” of the sentencing guidelines if he is convicted, adding: “The Crown’s case is no more than he grabbed the wrist.”

Wearing a navy suit, Black gave his address as Fairfax Avenue, Los Angeles, and his lawyers said he had flown over for the trial.

Mr Goldspring was told the tape of Edwardes’ police interview had been lost and there is no transcript, and a statement has not yet been taken from the officer who conducted her interview.

The trial was adjourned and refixed for November 8 at the same court so the prosecution have more time to prepare.