Security guards on trial after boys 'headbutted and punched in testicles'

A security guard headbutted a 15-year-old boy before falsely detaining him and a friend in a shop, a court has heard. Jake De-Geus, 30, from Chichester, and Edwin Hirst, 40, from Fareham, Hampshire, are both accused of the false imprisonment of the two teenagers during the incident in the Chichester Superdrug store on March 22, 2023. Both defendants, who were contracted to work for Chichester BID (Business Improvement District), are also accused of assault by beating of the teenager.

Hirst is also accused of the assault of a second boy. Paul Fairley, prosecuting, told Portsmouth Crown Court that the two complainants with another friend were in the store looking to buy a bottle of shampoo when the two private security guards started following them. Jake De-Geus (Image: PA) He said that the boys started “messing around” to “get a rise” out of the security guards, including putting a bottle in someone’s pocket.

The prosecutor said that De-Geus is accused of then headbutting the teenager, with the two defendants then using “unjustified” force to detain him and his friend. Hirst is accused of punching the second complainant in the testicles. Mr Fairley said the first complainant told police that the rangers began following them.

“It’s accepted by the two defendants that they decided to follow them, staying very close to them, making sure that they weren’t doing anything or stealing anything,” he said. He said that the group of friends started “being cheeky .