Burglar hit disabled Shrewsbury man, court told
A disabled man who had fallen asleep on his sofa was woken in the early hours to find two men stealing a flat screen television from his home, a court heard.
Darren Whitnall was then punched when he got up to see what was happening, causing him to collapse.
One of the men, Lee Davies, fled from an upstairs window, the court was told, but another man, who has already admitted a charge of burglary, unhooked the television from the wall and left through the front door.
The raid took place just weeks after Mr Whitnall had held a party at his home in Worcester Road in Harlescott, Shrewsbury, when he had told friends he kept money in the house, Shrewsbury Crown Court heard.
Davies, 27, of Wingfield Close, Ditherington, Shrewsbury, denies burglary.
The court was told Mr Whitnall, who injured his back during an accident at work six years ago, had been unable to sleep in bed on the night of July 2 so had moved downstairs to get comfortable on his sofa. He then woke up at 4.30am after hearing two men talking.
Mr Phillip Brunt, prosecuting, said: "There had been a party at Mr Whitnall's house in Worcester Road, Shrewsbury, some weeks before this burglary and during the course of the night he had told friends that he kept some money in the house.
"He was worried a man who he did not really know had overheard, but continued with the evening."
Mr Brunt said on the evening of July 2, Mr Whitnall had taken his medication and gone to bed.
He said: "He went to bed and about 1.30am on July 3 he woke up as he was in pain. He went downstairs and decided to get comfortable and he fell asleep on the sofa. At about 4.30am, he woke up to hear two men talking.
"He got up and was punched. He lost his balance and fell to the ground where he was kicked around the head. A man, who we say is this defendant fled and escaped through a bedroom window."
The trial continues.
