The four men face court charged with aggravated assault and aggravated robbery

Four men were acting in self defence in an alleged attack on a business owner after he “chased them with a meat cleaver”, a court has heard.

A group of young men accused of stabbing a Christies Beach restaurant owner have faced court for the first time.

Tyrone Bradley Thompson, 20, Connar Aiden Pails, 18, Baylee Luke Pickett, 18, and Aydin Lenart, 19, all appeared via video link at the Christies Beach Magistrate Court on Monday.

The four men, along with a 17-year-old who cannot be named for legal reasons, allegedly stabbed a man in the hand and punched him in the head at the Southern Palace Chinese restuarant on Gulfview Rd, Christies Beach, around 11.45pm on January 28.

A man was taken to hospital with serious injuries after he was stabbed and beaten out the front of his restaurant. Picture: Katrina Muhsin/10 NEWS FIRST

Police say the alleged victim confronted five males after he spotted them allegedly spraying graffiti on his front window.

It appeared the graffiti said ‘pay ya tick’.

The four men who faced court this week applied for bail after they were arrested on the weekend.

They are charged with aggravated assault causing serious harm and aggravated robbery.

Defence council Nick Vadasz, for Mr Thompson, told the court the men felt threatened after the restaurant owner allegedly approached the group with a kitchen utensil.

“In a nutshell, Mr Thompson was one of a number of men who were at the rear of the restaurant when the complainant exited the back door of the restaurant armed with a meat cleaver,” Mr Vadasz said.

“Mr Thompson said the victim told them the police had been called and that he was going to harm them.”

“Pay ya tick” was allegedly spray painted on the restaurant windows. Picture: Katrina Muhsin/10 NEWS FIRST

A bloodied footprint was at the scene. Picture: Katrina Muhsin/ 10 News First Picture: Katrina Muhsin/10 NEWS FIRST

The court heard the victim allegedly swung the cleaver at the defendants, striking Mr Lenart on his knee.

“Another co-accused saw an Asian man running and screaming at one of his friends and continued hacking into his mates,” Mr Vadasz told the court.

The court also heard a gold necklace worth $10,000 was taken at the time of the alleged assault.

The necklace is yet to be located.

Police opposed bail for Mr Thompson and Mr Pickett, saying the victim was worried for his safety.

Magistrate Karim Soetratma told Mr Vadasz there would be a fight over what the true justification was regarding the assault.

“It doesn’t get around the fact that a man has been stabbed, a necklace has been taken and (there is) a fractured eye socket,” Mr Soetratma said.

Mr Pails and Mr Lenart were granted bail, but the other two defendants were not succesful in their application.

No pleas have been entered.

The four men will face court again in May.