Shotts engineer to face a court battle with Sri Lankan playboy
A Shotts man today will face a courtroom battle with a former hated playboy who battered his girlfriend in a Sri Lankan nightclub. He spoke this week about how he is living in fear.
James Casserly revealed he is scared for his safety after he returning to Britain following his nightclub altercation with a former Sri Lankan Government Minister’s son.
The 44-year-old became a local hero after defending Belinda Mackenzie from a government minister’s son nicknamed“the nightmare of nightclubs”.
Malaka Silva groped Belinda, 24, then punched her twice in the face before James knocked him out.
Silva’s father was minister for public relations when the incident happened in Colombo’s Rhythm and Blues venue on Hallowe’en, 2014.
The notorious hellraiser was banned from nightclubs at the time after run-ins with the law.
Speaking to the Wishaw Press, James said:“Even after returning to Britain, I didn’t really want my address and whereabouts given out in the press,
“I wasn’t sure how far Malaka Silva would go in the lead-up to the court case.
“I get an armed police escort from the moment I get off the plane in Sri Lanka. I think the increased media presence over there has also helped keep the case in the public eye. All I want now is justice.”
Belinda left Sri Lanka and James couldn’t find another job and eventually flew back to Britain.
After arriving back in Britain and settling back into life, Casserly refused to allow what had allegedly happened to him and his girlfriend rest, he was determined to seek justice and bring Malaka Silva to court.
He explained;“I couldn’t let it go. They had taken everything from me, however, I don’t think I could have carried on without the help and support of my friends and family in Shotts. As soon as this is all over, I’ll be up for a well-deserved drink.”
Casserly’s alleged case against Silva is due up in Sri Lankan court on Wednesday, with the Shotts-born engineer travelling over the weekend before. But even after everything that happened to him, he still remains upbeat.
He said: “I’ll be getting an armed police escort from the moment I get off the plane, but I’d definitely still go back to Sri Lanka at a different time. It is an amazing country. I made great friends and I loved living there.”
And if he could relive the alleged incident one more time, would he do anything differently?
He said:“No way, no matter what happens, you’ve always got to defend your girlfriend.”