A BOUNCER shoved a customer out of a club with such force that he fell down steps onto the pavement, fracturing his skull, a court heard.

John Hall had been drinking with friends in Courtneys bar on Bradshawgate in the early hours of September 24 2017 when, following a complaint, Julian Tinker threw them out of them out of the club.

Bolton Crown Court heard how Tinker first ejected Mr Hall’s friends, Richard Parry and Richard Simpson, through a fire door onto Princess Street at 3am.

But just seconds later 29-year-old Mr Hall, whose foot was in a plaster cast, was sent flying through the same door, down three steps and hit his head on the pavement.

He was knocked unconscious but, when he came to, refused treatment from paramedics.

Simon Barrett, prosecuting, told a jury how the next day Mr Hall’s father took him to the Royal Bolton Hospital because he was suffering from a headache and was vomiting.

A CT scan revealed he had suffered a fractured skull with bleeding and bruising on the brain and spent four days in hospital.

Tinker, aged 51, of Harcourt Close, Urmston, denies causing grievous bodily harm.

The court heard that, when questioned by police, Tinker claimed the fall was an accident.

“He said there was a tug of war over the bottle and when John Hall let go he fell through the door,” said Mr Barrett.

But Mr Hall’s friend, Sean Prunty, who was still inside the club, told the jury that he saw Tinker put both hands on Mr Hall’s chest and push him.

“Any suggestion that this was an accident is untrue. This was a deliberate push,” said Mr Barrett.

Giving evidence, Mr Hall told the court that he has no memory of being in Courtneys that night.

He had been to the Wanderers’ match earlier in the day and, with his three friends, continued a night out in Bolton town centre. He estimated that he had drunk around eight pints.

He stated that, since his injury, his sense of smell has gone and taste is limited.

Mr Prunty, who works as a critical care nurse and is 6ft 5ins tall, told how had been at the bar but had a clear view of Tinker talking to Mr Hall by the fire door.

“There seems to be a bit of a struggle and John gets pushed through the fire escape door,” he said.

“Two hands were placed on his chest and he went through the door.”

He added: “At the time it was a shock. I went outside to see if my friend was ok. John was unconscious on the floor and completely unresponsive.”

Mr Hall was not responding to stimulus.

“I went into a bit of a panic because I know that can be relatively serious,” said Mr Prunty

He called 999 and Tinker came outside, but Mr Prunty told the court that the doorman did not help.

“He was still being quite overtly aggressive — quite defensive,” said Mr Prunty. “There was no attempt made to rectify what happened.”

When Mr Prunty was unable to reach his friend the next day he visited Mr Hall’s father, who went to his home and took him to hospital.

The trial continues.