A FORMER heroin user has told a jury he was "tossed like a rag doll" by a man who had taken the drug.

Paul Maddison, 40, alleged that David Ward hit him repeatedly with two long pieces of wood fastened together and injured him on the head and body.

He was giving evidence in his own defence on a charge of wounding Mr Ward with intent - which he denies.

The prosecution alleges that Maddison knifed Mr Ward at the start of an incident outside a house in Chapelfields Road, Acomb, on January 19.

Paul Maddison's sister Tracey, 35, denies assaulting Mr Ward. Both live in Bramham Road, Acomb.

At York Crown Court, Paul Maddison, who has a previous conviction for carrying a knife in public, alleged Mr Ward had told him from the doorway of the Chapelfields house he could not speak to Tracey Maddison about a missing £100.

"It was quite obvious at the time David had been taking drugs," said Maddison.

He claimed that after speaking with his sister, he returned with a hammer to smash the windows of a car outside the house and saw Mr Ward coming out of the house.

"I noticed that he had over his shoulder a lump of wood. It looked to me as if it was two pieces of wood," alleged Maddison.

Maddison claimed that Mr Ward pushed him over a car bonnet and hit him repeatedly. He said he had grabbed the stick, but had been unable to stop the blows.

"He started tossing me about like I was some sort of a rag doll," said Maddison.

He alleged that he saw that a blade had fallen out of his pocket and he grabbed hold of it as Mr Ward raised his stick.

Mr Ward denied carrying two sticks and hitting Maddison and showed the jury a scar from ear to jaw, which the prosecution says, was made by Maddison's blade.

In cross-examination, Maddison said he had taken heroin for about four months before June last year, then 60 ml of methadone daily and was now on 9ml daily.

Judge David Bentley QC has directed the jury to acquit both defendants of criminal damage.

The trial continues.

Updated: 11:13 Thursday, July 26, 2001