The jury has retired to consider its verdicts in a case of alleged assaults in a Bristol shop.

Two men deny racially aggravated assaults on two shop assistants at Birchwood Stores, St Anne's. A youth charged with them has been cleared of those offences.

Bristol Crown Court has been told that, following an incident at the premises, Stephen Monelle and a 17-year-old youth were barred. It is claimed that they entered the store with Ashley Stockham in March, called two Sri Lankan Tamil shop assistants "Paki slaves" and attacked them.

Monelle, 43, of Chelmsford Walk, St Anne's, and Stockham, 18, of Valentine Close, Whitchurch, and the youth denied violent disorder, two racially aggravated assaults and racially aggravated destruction of property. Stockham and the youth have both admitted affray and simple assault, and the youth has also pleaded guilty to two counts of battery and damaging property.

Sarah Regan, prosecuting, said that on the day in question Sasiyanthan Sriwickramarajasingham and Uthaykumar Subramaniam were at the shop.

The jury has heard Mr Sasiyanthan suffered pain to his head, nose, knee and back as well as a cut chin. His colleague had minor injuries including a swollen forehead and cut mouth.

Monelle, who said he was not banned from the shop, said he acted as peacemaker and Stockham said he "stupidly" joined in; both denied racial abuse. The jury has asked for a repeat viewing of CCTV footage of part of the incident.

The case continues.