Top doctor accused of punching teenage girl

A TOP gynaecologist punched a 16-year-old girl and threatened to have his partner’s ex-husband ‘taken out,’ a court heard.

Professor Luciano Nardo is on trial accused of assaulting the teenager outside his then partner Victoria Cook’s home in Wilmslow.

He is also accused of assaulting Ms Cook’s ex-husband Stuart Davies and his father Dennis Davies.

Prof Nardo denies all charges. Giving evidence at Tameside magistrates’ court, Stuart Davies said Prof Nardo repeatedly shouted ‘f*** off’ at him and threatened to have him ‘taken out’ during a row on Ms Cook’s driveway.

Mr Davies, 46 said: “Because of his Italian accent I joked ‘What by, the Mafia?’ and he said ‘No, I have the money, I know people.’ I was gobsmacked.”

During the alleged attack on Barlow Road on Sunday, January 20, Mr Davies said Prof Nardo punched him from behind on the shoulder, punched him in the face and pushed him into a neighbour’s garden.

The court heard Prof Nardo, who, according to his profile on the Reproductive Health Group’s website, is a visiting professor at Manchester Metropolitan University, then punched a teenage girl.

Mr Davies said: “As I was trying to get myself back up, he had rage in his eyes.

“He punched her [the 16-year-old girl] to the face, but luckily she managed to put her arms up and blocked the punch.

“I raced over to protect her. That’s when I first punched him in self

Professor Luciano Nardo denies three charges of assault by beating defence to the cheek bone. That sent him stumbling backwards. I said ‘That’s it now, I’m calling the police.’

“He punched me to the face, I hit him in self defence to the nose. That sent him to the floor.

“He came running at me and attacked me from behind. He did a flying kick into my back. It sent me flying into the road. I remember a car just missed my head.

“He kicked me maybe 10 to 15 times. I just curled up into a ball.”

Mr Davies, who at one point of his evidence broke down in tears, described the alleged attack as ‘one big nightmare that I want to go away.’

He added: “It has affected me personally on every level.”

Prof Nardo is also accused of assaulting Dennis Davies, who had the doctor in a headlock following the alleged attack in the road. Giving evidence via video link, the 16-year-old girl said she suffered bruising to the underside of her left arm after blocking Prof Nardo’s punch.

Michael Hayton QC, defending, said there were several discrepancies between Mr Davies’ evidence in court and the statement he gave to the police on the night of the alleged attack. Mr Hayton accused Mr Davies of ‘grotesquely exaggerating the incident because you really do not like this guy [Prof Nardo],’ adding: “What you are doing is exaggerating and embellishing as you go along.

“You were the violent one that night because this man had moved into your former home.”

Prof Nardo, 43, of Edge View Crescent, Alderley Edge, denies three charges of assault by beating.

The trial is due to recommence tomorrow.

Proceeding

Michael Hayton QC