A 47-year-old man and his daughter appeared at Staines Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday charged with assaulting celebrity journalist Donal MacIntyre, during an alleged “revenge attack” in an East Molesey bar last year.

James Wild, from Isis House, Bridge Wharf, Chertsey, was charged with assaulting Mr MacIntyre at the Cloud 9 bar in Bridge Road, because of the Radio 5 Live presenter’s undercover work in 2000.

Mr Wild also faces charges of occasioning actual bodily harm against Mr MacIntyre and a further charge of common assault against the presenter’s wife Ameera.

Caley Wild, 23, from Peregrine Road, Sunbury, has been charged with assaulting Mr MacIntyre.

Donna Webster, prosecuting, told the court that on the evening of July 17 last year, Miss Wild had been celebrating her 23rd birthday in Cloud 9, at the same time as Mr and Mrs MacIntyre were inside.

Ms Webster claimed members of Miss Wild’s party approached Mr MacIntyre and accused him of being a “grass” and “setting up their friend”.

She told the court these words “carried a tone of violence”, causing Mrs MacIntyre to flee to the bar’s lavatory in tears.

The court heard Mr MacIntyre was then set upon by the mob and had his head pushed back “violently”, before he and his wife eventually got out of the bar.

It is alleged Miss Wild approached Mr MacIntyre outside and hit him and that Mr Wild then followed the MacIntyres and assaulted them.

She said: “[Following the alleged assault], Donal MacIntyre was so ill he collapsed and needed hospital treatment. Ameera MacIntyre got bruises to her arms.

“Mr MacIntyre had swelling to his eye and told a doctor he lost consciousness momentarily [after the alleged attack].”

The defendants, who have yet to enter a plea, are due to appear again at Staines Magistrates’ Court on May 5.