A CHALLENGE to a fight over a girl resulted in a 10- strong gang beating up two innocent men who were trying to prevent bloodshed, a court heard this week. The mob, all from Aldershot, descended on Wrecclesham, looking for one of the love rivals in the early hours of July 22 last year but found instead his stepfather, Frank Donnelly, and another man, Kevin Bates, waiting outside the property to ward them off. So they turned on them instead, the jury was told. Nicholas Cook, 20, of Tongham Road, Daniel O'Shea, 24, of Yeoman's Way, Ashton White, 18, of Highfield Avenue and Scott Norris, 18, of Willow Way, and four teenagers who cannot be named for legal reasons, deny conspiracy to commit disorder. One of the youths also pleaded not guilty to committing grievous bodily harm with intent and perverting the course of public justice. Two other defendants, Jade McGarrigle and William Stewart, of Lancer Court, Aldershot, pleaded guilty to the charge of conspiracy to commit public disorder. The gang are said to have gone in two cars to the home of Paul Ewington in Green Lane, after Mr Ewington had challenged Stewart to a one-to-one fight. The disagreement arose after Mr Ewington and Jade McGarrigle ended a relationship and she turned her attentions to Stewart. Robin Sellers, prosecuting, told the court: "The defendants travelled en masse in a convoy of vehicles from Aldershot to Farnham with one intention in mind: to find a man by the name of Paul Ewington." The simple aim was to cause him harm, he alleged. "People had different roles in this but all were involved in the conspiracy. For example a driver is acting in accordance with an agreement, and he can be said to be part of the conspiracy. This was not an impromptu act." Mr Sellers said that at the behest of William Stewart, the group left various premises where they had been drinking in Aldershot and set off for Green Lane. Because of earlier telephone conversations, Mr Ewington knew they were coming and was concerned enough to raise it with his parents. As a result, his mother phoned the police, and also spoke to Kevin Bates. When the group arrived Paul Ewington stayed inside but his stepfather, Frank Donnelly, a man in his 50s who has a heart condition and walks with a stick, walked out and met them. The mob set about him with kicks and punches. He was forced to the ground, suffered multiple injuries, including cuts, bruises and a fracture to his face, and lost consciousness. Mr Bates went to assist and was also assaulted. "During the assault on Mr Donnelly, some of the group broke away and turned their attention on the house, no doubt looking for Mr Ewington," said Mr Sellers. "One of those involved struck the door with an implement to gain access to the property. Whatever the implement was, it was used to attack Mr Donnelly, as there were droplets of his blood found on the door." Paul Ewington came out carrying an ornamental samurai sword, which he kept in his bedroom. "He hit one of the defendants with the flat side of the blade, causing it to bend. Mr Ewington was then chased away by, he says, three or four of the defendants, and he ran to a friend's house." When police arrested Mr Ewington, he had the sword and a large kitchen knife he had grabbed from his friend's house. Interviewed by police, some of the gang said they had gone to Wrecclesham believing they were on their way to a party. One said he took no part in the alleged altercation as he was throwing up in a nearby car park after drinking to excess. The youth who allegedly caused the injuries to Mr Donnelly is also charged with perverting the course of public justice after sending text messages to another of the defendants, allegedly saying what he should tell police when interviewed. Another of the defendants, Daniel O'Shea, had a letter seized by police at his house, in which he told a friend in some detail what had happened. Mr Ewington told the court how, before the attack, he had phoned Jade and Billy Stewart had answered. "He went absolutely ballistic... he started going on about my family, getting more and more mad. He said he would kill my dad and rape my mum." Stewart told Mr Ewington he would be over in a couple of hours. Several other calls followed, but Mr Ewington said he had no recollection of them as he had been drinking with friends at the Farnham Carnival. Asked why he had not telephoned the police, he said he felt they wouldn't arrive in time to stop the violence. He added: "I'm not a fighter. If I can avoid violence, I will." The case continues.