Bouncer asked for pounds 10,000 from boxer

HERBIE HIDE, 22, a heavyweight boxing champion, tape-recorded a conversation with a nightclub bouncer who attempted to get money from him before a court case, a jury heard yesterday.

Mr Hide had been due to stand trial last year accused of assaulting the bouncer, David Dixon, who suffered a broken nose in a nightclub confrontation over a girl, Mr Richard Daniel, for the prosecution, said at Norwich Crown Court.

Dixon, 25, of Norwich, pleaded not guilty to blackmail, but admitted perverting the course of justice by asking Mr Hide for pounds 10,000 in exchange for not giving evidence against him in court.

Mr Daniel said the prosecution was content to let the blackmail charge lie on file and Judge David Mellor agreed. The judge adjourned sentence on Dixon for pre-sentence and psychiatric reports and Dixon was remanded on bail.

Mr Daniel said the World Boxing Organisation champion took a small tape recorder and taped the conversation in which he claimed Dixon had also asked for pounds 50,000.

Dixon and his girlfriend were then arrested and no evidence was offered against Mr Hide, who had denied assaulting Dixon.

Mr John Harwood-Stevenson, for the defence, claimed that Dixon's contact with Mr Hide was in response to approaches made on Hide's behalf.

He claimed the approaches were from third parties and he said: 'Hide denies ever having initiated any contact himself and the defence accepts Mr Hide is a truthful witness.'

Afterwards, in a statement through his solicitor Simon Nicholls, Mr Hide said: 'I am glad my double nightmare is over. I not only faced the trauma of facing a serious charge myself, but also being a potential prosecution witness.'

He goes to America tomorrow to continue his boxing career, but said: 'I don't know who or when I'll fight.'