Telford father cleared of assault
A father-of-five has been cleared of assaulting his ex-wife's new husband in a row over two of his children.
David Preece, 29, of Telford, was found not guilty by a jury of causing actual bodily harm to Jason Westwood in October last year.
During the brief trial at Shrewsbury Crown Court the jury heard that Mr Westwood needed stitches to his mouth and two teeth were damaged and had to be extracted.
Preece, of New Road, Wrockwardine Wood, had denied assault and said that he had been acting in self-defence.
The court heard that three of Preece's children lived with their mother who had married Mr Westwood just a few months before the incident.
The two men clashed in Grange Avenue, Telford, as Mr Westwood was walking two of the children to school.
There was a verbal exchange between the men before Mr Westwood was punched on the left side of his face.
Preece denied that he lost his temper and said that Mr Westwood had been aggressive and he had he was going to be attacked
