Twenty-two-year-old David Trott was found guilty yesterday of assaulting a man he described as "like an uncle" to him.

Puisne Judge Carlisle Greaves denied Trott bail and remanded him in custody after a jury delivered a unanimous guilty verdict to the charge of assault causing actual bodily harm.

"I have no doubt he beat that man," Mr. Greaves told the Supreme Court. "He beat the stuffing out of that man with a big, fat helmet. To think that things like this could happen to innocent people and then have him spin like he spun. He is an extremely smart, cunning liar. A fantastic actor."

Trott, from Broken Hill Lane, Smiths, denied causing Ashley Smith grievous bodily harm with intent over $50 on January 7, 2005. The jury unanimously found him not guilty of the charge but found him guilty of the lesser charge.

During the trial Crown counsel Oonagh Vaucrosson told the jury that Trott beat Ashley Smith about the head with a crash helmet after he failed to pay for $50 of crack cocaine. Trott denied that the debt was drug related and said he was forced to defend himself against Mr. Smith who is a "like a uncle" to him.

Mr. Smith told the jury that Trott approached him in a "hyper manner" and demanded he repay $50 he owed. He said he ran from the house after he heard Trott rummaging through kitchen draws. Trott followed him outside and swung a bike helmet at him several times, he said.

The jury also heard a doctor at King Edward VII Memorial Hospital treated Mr. Smith for injuries including a dislocated and fractured left ring finger, bruising to his left eye and a laceration to his face after the alleged assault .

Defence lawyer Rick Woolridge requested bail stating that Trott was enrolled in the Bermuda College but it was denied. As Trott was led away friends and family sobbed. He will return to Supreme Court for June arraignments so that a date may be set for sentencing.