Monaco prince punched in NY nightclub brawl

NEW YORK: Monaco’s Prince Pierre Casiraghi was punched in the face during a weekend fight at a New York nightclub that landed a local man in court on assault charges.

Casiraghi, 24, the grandson of former Hollywood actress Grace Kelly, was briefly hospitalised after the incident, according to media reports.

Police said he and three other men were struck by former restaurateur Adam Hock in a dispute at The Double Seven club at about 2am on Saturday.

Among those punched was Stavros Niarchos, the Greek shipping scion and former boyfriend of hotel heiress Paris Hilton.

Casiraghi told police he was repeatedly struck in the face, according to the criminal complaint, “creating a laceration on his cheek, and causing bruising, swelling, redness and substantial pain to his face.”

Hock’s attorney Sal Strazzullo said his client was acting in selfdefence when he hit the 24-yearold prince and members of his entourage.

“Unless you’re a ninja fighter or Bruce Lee, it’s pretty tough to defend yourself against four men,” Strazzullo said.

Hock was released from Manhattan Criminal Court without bail after he pleaded not guilty to four counts of assault, he said.

Casiraghi, who lives in Italy, is third in line to the throne of Monaco.

Heis the son of Princess Caroline and her second husband, who was killed in a boating accident when Casiraghi was a young child.