Paps made Mills feel like 'trapped animal'

Updated 18.49 Thu Jun 21 2007

Paul McCartney's estranged wife has told a court that she felt like a "trapped animal" when cornered by photographers in a subway in Brighton.

Heather Mills-McCartney was giving evidence in the trial of freelance photographer Jay Kaycappa, who is charged with assaulting her when he grabbed the former model's right shoulder and turned her round in order to photograph her.

Jay Kaycappa is alleged to have attacked Sir Paul McCartney's estranged wife in a subway under Brighton seafront

Brighton Magistrates Court was told that Ms Mills-McCartney was assaulted in the subway on Brighton seafront on July 5 last year.

Under cross-examination, Ms Mills-McCartney said she wheeled her bike into the subway to escape the paparazzi and panicked when she spotted a photographer at the tunnel's exit.

She said: "I panicked and thought I'll go back the other way and that's when I turned round and saw Mr Kaycappa.

"I felt concerned ... because I had one there and one there and I felt like a trapped animal so I turned into the wall to get on my phone."

The trial is expected to last one day at the magistrates' court and Kaycappa is on unconditional bail.

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