Published Wednesday, 09 December 2009
The 61-year-old singer is accused of assaulting photographer and self-confessed fan Hugo McNeice and smashing a camera lens during a concert at Ballymena's Tullyglass Hotel.
Mr McNeice told District Judge Bernie Kelly he had been tasked to snap a colleague interviewing Barrett before the concert in December 2008, but it was called off because of timing.
The snapper said he later returned to the concert and after talking to a few friends and security staff he began "shooting a few frames" to get Shakin's attention on stage, which he apparently did.
Still singing, Shakey danced his way towards Mr McNeice who claimed that he thought the singer was about to give him "a nice tight shot", but instead felt the microphone stand hit the lens of his camera which "jolted back into my head".
The photographer claimed he was "shocked and embarrassed" by the incident and walked off.
Mr McNeice said it was only the next day while on another photo assignment that he realised his camera lens was damaged.
He said initially went to his solicitor to see how he could get the lens replaced, but was advised it was a police matter.
Under cross-examination from defence lawyer David Russell, the photographer denied that he had found the whole episode "at all amusing - or - the least bit funny", maintaining that he was "in shock".
The photographer also rejected the singer's version of events that at all times he was attempting to use the microphone stand to block him photographing, and that Shakin' was "adamant there was no contact between the microphone stand and you or your camera".
Some of those attending the concert told the court of seeing an angry looking Shakey moving towards Mr McNeice and apparently "jabbing" at him with the mic stand.
But none of them claimed to have seen the singer actually strike or make contact with the snapper, although one agreed that she "assumed" he had hit her friend.
The case continues on Thursday when Barrett will give evidence.