FORMER BOXING world champion Steve Collins has alleged that the bouncer accusing him of assault is in a money-making conspiracy with other witnesses in the trial.
Mr Collins said under cross-examination at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court yesterday that he believed the criminal case against him was “all about money”, and that Adriatik Vodo (39) and his employer Seán Jordan were conspiring together.
Mr Collins, in response to a question from Patrick McGrath, prosecuting, added that he had given gardaí details of comments and recordings of phone conversations between people in the alleged conspiracy.
Mr Collins (46), St Albans, Hertfordshire, England, has pleaded not guilty to assaulting Mr Vodo on June 3rd, 2006, at the National Stadium, South Circular Road, Dublin. It was day two of the trial.
Mr Collins said he believed that both Mr Vodo and Mr Jordan were involved in the alleged money-making conspiracy. He told Mr McGrath he had no evidence against any other parties “as yet”.
Mr Collins told Mr McGrath he would “stand by” evidence he gave that the bouncer’s appearance and “almost blind aggression” had given the impression of a “steroid head”.
Earlier, Mr Collins told his counsel, Pat Purcell, that Mr Vodo had “manhandled” him while refusing him re-entry to the stadium to finish RTÉ’s commentary on a Bernard Dunne vs Jim Rock fight.
Mr Collins said he had no formal accreditation to gain entry to the stadium, but that he had been employed by RTÉ to commentate on numerous fights at the venue.
He said he had left the stadium to get some fresh air as it was “hot and sticky” inside, but returned two minutes later to enter through the same door.
He said he was “very relaxed and jolly” as he made his way back into the stadium, but was then stopped by the doorman, Mr Vodo.
“He stopped me and then put his hands on my chest and started to manhandle me and pushed me away,” Mr Collins said.
“I explained to him that I was working for RTÉ, and other people around me were telling him who I was and to let me in.”
He told Mr Purcell that the doorman appeared aggressive, despite RTÉ co-commentator Mick Dowling explaining to Mr Vodo who he was.
“The bouncer [Mr Vodo] started holding me and pushing me and pushed me about a metre outside the door. I then realised he was not listening to me and he was getting out of hand,” Mr Collins said.
He said Gavin Blanchfield, head of security, then arrived and told Mr Vodo to let him into the stadium. Mr Vodo then became more aggressive, he alleged.
“He then thumped me in the chest with force and then I realised he lost it, and I felt it was a dangerous situation as Mr Vodo seemed deaf to instruction and was looking at me with anger.
“He then went to grab my shirt and my initial reaction was to break away his grip with my left arm. I brought my left hand up with force to break him away from me and I made contact with his mouth,” Mr Collins said.
He denied under cross-examination that he had used bad language and acted like “a caged animal” after he was refused re-entry.