Richard Gadd called 999 after hearing a woman in a Glasgow flat scream that she was going to be killed, a court has heard.
The Baby Reindeer star told Glasgow Sheriff Court that he saw a “flurry of arms” as Xiaoma Zhang was allegedly attacked by Lucas Bains.
Mr Bains, 22, from Maryhill, is on trial accused of aggravated assault during an incident in Finnieston, in Glasgow’s West End, on November 1 last year. He denies the charge.
Mr Gadd said he had been at home and initially thought the noise from the flat above was a gathering. But the sound developed into arguing and shouting.
“It stopped feeling like a party,” he told the court.
He said he went out on to his balcony to try to establish what was happening. After a period of quiet, he heard the noise rise again and saw a woman moving her arms as she shouted: “Help me, help me – he is going to kill me.”
Mr Gadd said he later heard the balcony door above being closed and saw the woman outside. He called police and passed her a dressing gown after she was allegedly left locked out.
She remained on the balcony until officers arrived. Mr Gadd said the wait lasted around 20 to 30 minutes, although he added that the adrenaline of the incident made the timing difficult to judge.
The court also heard evidence from Thomas Russell, who said Mr Bains appeared agitated and was shouting at the building as he left. Mr Russell said the accused was carrying a bag with liquid dripping from it.
The 32-year-old financial crime analyst told the court that Mr Bains was heard to say “F***ing b****” before getting into a car and driving across flowerbeds on the pavement.
Mr Russell said he saw a distressed woman on the balcony who appeared to be calling for help and saying she was stuck.
Court papers allege that Mr Bains repeatedly pushed Ms Zhang, seized her shoulders, shoved her on to a balcony and trapped her leg in a door frame, causing injury.
Mr Bains has pleaded guilty to failing to identify the driver involved in an incident to police and to failing to provide breath specimens. The aggravated assault allegation is denied.
The summary trial, being heard without a jury before Sheriff Helen McGinty, is due to continue later this month.
