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A British actor is alleged to have laughed after launching an attack on a fan outside a fish and chip shop.

Franz Drameh, of Essex, was caught on CCTV repeatedly punching, kicking and headbutting a man in Chelmsford city centre during an altercation last year.

The 24-year-old, whose film debut was in Clint Eastwood's fantasy drama Hereafter, claims he was acting in self defence after being racially and physically abused by his opponent, Joshua Berenger.

Drameh, who also appeared in British film Attack the Block and the 2014 blockbuster Edge of Tomorrow, appeared at Chelmsford Crown Court for the prosecution's closing statements yesterday, Essex Live reports.

(Image: Essexlive WS)

Jurors head Drameh had been the aggressor and attacked Mr Berenger following a dispute at the Fancy Fry takeaway restaurant.

Mr Berenger was said to have approached Drameh at the take-away "as he was a fan", having seen the Hackney-born actor in DC's Legends of Tomorrow.

But prosecution barrister Samantha Lowther argued that Drameh did not want to be bothered that evening and so ignored Mr Berenger, prompting the 23-year-old to shout at him "just because you're famous doesn't mean you're better than us. Remember where you came from".

It was this, Mrs Lowther said, that caused Drameh to becoming "incensed", leading to an altercation outside the restaurant which allegedly saw Drameh and an accomplice repeatedly rein down blows on Mr Berenger, with Drameh's accomplice using a belt to hit the man while he was on the floor at least three times.

"You can see from the CCTV that at no point did Franz try to withdraw from the situation," said Mrs Lowther.

"In fact he had to be forcibly removed. He was on top of Josh with his knee under his chin and was hitting him, while his friend also hit him with his belt. How can that be self defence?

"When Josh was on the floor, helpless, there was a point where he headbutted him two or three times. That's not self defence.

"There was also a point where the two stood up, and Franz could have run away from the situation, if he genuinely felt he was being attacked. But he didn't.

"Instead he pushed him down and jumped back on top of him."

"If he was genuinely assaulted, why would he flee the scene?" she continued. "Surely he'd stay, call the police, and make sure it was all sorted. And where are the injuries if he was attacked?

"Mr Berenger is six foot five, 16 stone, and a former body builder. If he had hit Franz with force, it would have left him with some serious injuries, but instead it's just a couple of cuts and grazes.

"Franz had every opportunity to withdraw from this situation, but he chose not to do so. Two witnesses both say he removed his top prior to the attack, and that's because he was ready to fight, not in self defence.

"Franz claims Josh was going crazy, but it wasn't him that was going crazy. It was Franz. He was the dominant one.

"He was the one with the upper hand. And he was the assailant, not Josh."

Mrs Lowther also told the court how Drameh "laughed", when he was arrested later that night, before refusing to give a comment in interview because, she said, he did not have a believable story to give.

But Drameh gives a different version of events that night.

He agrees he did not want to be bothered that night in Chelmsford, and admits he did ignore Mr Berenger when he approached him.

But he says that Mr Berenger became abusive and aggressive, hurling racist insults at both Drameh and his friend before attacking him.

(Image: Essexlive WS)

He also admits to having laughed when he was arrested, but claims it was an ironic laugh as he found it hard to believe that he was being arrested when he felt that he was not in the wrong.

His no comment interview at the police station, he says, was purely down to the legal advice he had received.

Closing arguments from the defence are due today, with summary shortly after before the case is handed to the jury for deliberations.