'I wasn't there,' claims comic

Lee Hurst has denied smashing a punter’s mobile phone in a comedy club, claiming he wasn’t even there.

The 46-year-old allegedly lost his temper because he thought an audience member was secretly filming a performance at the Stoke Pub in Guildford, Surrey.

Guildford magistrates were told the former star of They Think It’s All Over destroyed an £80 Motorola K1 phone belonging to Gareth Hughes in the incident in September.

Hurst, from Limehouse, East London, represented himself and pleaded not guilty to criminal damage. When asked what his defence would be, he said: 'I wasn't there.'

It has been reported that there were around 300 punters at the show.

Hursts’s unconditional bail was renewed until the case goes to trial at Guildford Magistrates' Court on February 16.

Criminal damage carries a maximum sentence of three months jail as well as a possible fine.

Published: 1 Jan 2009