Chirack Mwanza Kadima pleaded not guilty to punching Mr Drake in the face on Sunday, February 26, 2017.

The court heard the assault happened about 3.30am after Mr Drake had celebrated a friend’s engagement party at the Penny Royal the night before.

He told the court the party finished about midnight, and he left with friends, visiting Commercial Hotel and Baker’s Lane before heading to Lonnies Niteclub in Brisbane Street, Launceston.

Mr Drake said he left the nightclub alone about 3.30am and passed a group of four men standing outside the Supre retail store on his way to the taxi rank.

“Someone in the group called me f----t,” Mr Drake said.

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Mr Drake told the court he called one man “a w---er” and continued walking, turning left into St John Street, towards York Street.

He said he heard someone behind him and a man asked: “Why did you disrespect my friend”.

Mr Drake said he pretended to record the man on his phone “as a distraction”, but could not see him clearly because “there were no street lights”.

The court heard Mr Drake was hit in the face, fracturing his right eye socket and nose and cutting his face.

He called triple zero and was taken by ambulance to the Launceston General Hospital, where he had surgery.

The trial is before Justice Robert Pearce and is expected to conclude on Tuesday, February 19.

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