A local footballer has pleaded not guilty to grievous bodily harm.

The offence was alleged to have been committed by Paul David Whitehead outside the East Quay in Peel and the Peveril Hotel on October 29 of last year.

It is alleged that Mr Whitehead broke the victim’s jaw in two places.

The trial date is set for October 10.

Defence advocate Jim Travers said that the Peel AFC player’s plea would be based on an argument of self defence from ‘a single punch’.

He added that it would be possible that three eyewitnesses would be called for the defence.

CCTV evidence is understood to only be available for inside the pub, not outside.

The prosecution indicated that two independent witnesses may be provided who ‘say he was the aggressor’.