A BURGLAR barged into a flat and battered a pacifist with a police baton, a court heard.

Thomas Kiely is accused attacking Christopher Baker in a flat at Highcroft Villas, Brighton.

The 32-year-old has gone on trial at Hove Crown Court facing charges of aggravated burglary, possessing a baton, and inflicting grievous bodily harm.

Mr Baker said he was struck three times over the back of his head as he tried to call for help.

He was left covered in blood, with a broken jaw, gashes to his head, and broken fingers.

“I was not sure if he would attempt to kill me,” he said.

A neighbour said Mr Baker looked like a “fancy dress zombie” because he was so pale.

Kiely, meanwhile, was arrested by police in Old Shoreham Road. He denies the charges, and claims it was Mr Baker who invited him into the flat before attacking him.

At Hove Crown Court, Daniel Jones, prosecuting, said the incident happened in the early hours of March 11 last year.

Mr Baker’s flatmate Kyle Bishop had gone out to the pub.

So when he heard banging on the door, he assumed his friend had returned.

But instead he found Kiely, who claimed to be accompanying Mr Bishop home before barging his way in.

Mr Baker said: “I thought something must be up, and tried to get my phone on my bed. I felt a sharp pain at the back of my head and two more blows. I would say the effect was to either knock me out or kill me. I felt completely disorientated and dizzy.”

Pierce Power, defending, said Mr Baker had in fact been the aggressor after inviting Kiely into the flat.

He accused Mr Baker of lying to police in a statement where he claimed he did not know Kiely, despite the fact they had met on previous occasions.

Mr Power also claimed that Mr Baker had tried to extort money from Kiely outside a pub in exchange for dropping the charges, a claim Mr Baker denied.

Mr Baker said: “I was the victim of an extremely violent attack. People would be afraid after being attacked in their own home. I was utterly terrified, scared for my life.

“I am not a violent individual, I would not assault someone for no good reason, I would probably not assault someone with a good reason.”

Mr Power accused Mr Baker of instigating the violence and said: “You produced the baton, didn’t you?”

“Certainly not, I am a pacifist, I don’t like violent people and weapons,” Mr Baker replied.

Kiely, of Chichester Place, Brighton, denies the charges and the trial continues.