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Victim Testifies Against 5 Teens Accused In Rockville Centre Beating

NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- The man who claims a group of Long Island teens assaulted him for trying to stick up for his wife testified in their trial Thursday.

As 1010 WINS' Mona Rivera reported, John Woythaler took the stand to describe how he was allegedly beaten by the five Rockville Centre teenagers back on June, 18, 2012.

Victim Testifies Against 5 Teens Accused In Rockville Centre Beating

The father of three said it all began after the teens sexually taunted his wife, who was out walking their dog. The couple then drove around looking for the group, Rivera reported.

Defense attorney John Lewis, however, said Woythaler was the aggressor in the incident and should have just called police. "Well he was a vigilante," Lewis said.

But the businessman and soccer coach claims he merely told the teens that they owed his wife an apology before the teens beat him, Rivera reported.

The incident polarized the Long Island community, with some residents blaming the victim for pursuing the teens, while others saying the teens should have owned up to what they did.

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