Assault charges against a Launceston man have been dismissed because knowledge of the alleged offender's name was hearsay.
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Alex Mitchell Speed, 22, of Summerhill, appeared in the Launceston Magistrates Court on Friday, and plead not guilty over an incident at the Star Bar in February.
Defendant Corey Willis claimed someone punched him in the face. He said he knew it was Mr Speed because people told him that's who it was.
Mr Speed's lawyer said there was ineligibility of evidence.
"There is no connection that this Alex Speed is the Alex Speed they were talking about," he said.
Mr Willis said he was able to confirm it was Mr Speed because he knew him through mutual friends, however, admitted they had never spoken.
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Mr Willis claimed Mr Speed's brother, Jayden, had "got up in his face" in the bar earlier that night and asked him repeatedly to "say his name", before security asked the pair to leave.
Mr Willis was then punched through one of the venue's open windows.
Witness James Alexander Cramp said Mr Willis did not provoke the incident, and that Mr Willis "got a big black eye almost immediately".
When Mr Willis went to the Launceston Police Station to report an assault later that night he told police he thought the "carry on" might have been because of a girl he used to like.
Tasmania Police Constable Matthew Lockhart took the complaint from Mr Willis.
At Friday's hearing Mr Lockhart said Mr Willis gave him the name of Alex Speed as the offender.
However, when shown the police statement Mr Speed's lawyer asked why the name listed was Alex Strong.
Mr Lockhart said his memory of the incident was perhaps not as strong as he thought.
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