Shropshire Star

Former serviceman jailed for GBH and assault on pensioners

A former RAF serviceman has been jailed for a shocking attack on two pensioners that left a 71 year old woman with a fractured pelvis.

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Stephen Lane, 48, was sentenced at Shrewsbury Crown Court after admitting charges of grievous bodily harm on the woman, and assault by beating on her 72 year old husband.

Judge Robin Onions was told how Lane had attacked the couple at Roden Nuseries near Telford on June 19 last year after a comment about his driving.

Robert Edwards, prosecuting, said the victims had been driving to the nursery when they were overtaken by a vehicle driven by Lane, coincidentally also travelling to the garden centre.

While the husband was fetching his wife's walking frame from the rear of their car Lane walked past.

She told him he had been "driving like a maniac" and "could have put them in hospital".

Mr Edwards said Lane, of Swan Gate, Shawbirch, Telford, "clearly became enraged" and then punched the husband without warning, leaving him bleeding from his nose.

The court heard Lane then turned to the man's wife, who suffers from serious medical issues and had only just managed to get out of the passenger seat, and pushed her with both hands causing her to fall to the ground.

Mr Edwards said she fell with considerable force and "immediately knew something was broken".

Pemberton, who witnessed the attack told police: "He pushed her with all his force. He appeared to put all of his body into it. I thought she was badly hurt."

He said he asked Lane: "What have you done? I have never seen anyone do that to two old people in my life."

The court heard that the woman suffered a fractured wrist, which later required surgery and the insertion of a metal plate, and a fractured pelvis as a result of the attack.

Lane was then said to have "made a nuisance of himself" while the victims waited for paramedics to arrive.

Mr Edwards said: "He consistently claimed he had medical training and would not take notice of being asked to desist in trying to help."

Lane told police in an interview following his arrest that he had been acting in self defence because he feared being attacked.

In a victim impact statement the court heard that the couple have had "difficulty in believing what has happened to them" and that the woman has required a wheelchair to remain mobile.

The court was also told of several previous convictions for Lane, including three incidents involving driving.

Judge Onions said: "He seems to have a propensity for losing his temper while driving."

Lisa Hancox, mitigating, said that Lane accepted responsibility for the attack.

She said: "He was making his way into the garden centre and it was not a case following an incident of road rage where he has gone and accosted them, he was simply making his way into the garden centre and it was the victim who approached him. That being as it may, he does accept complete responsibility for what happened afterwards and the injuries he caused, which are of course very serious."

Sentencing Judge Onions said: "It is almost unique in my experience to have a man in the dock for assaulting two people in their 70s."

He added: "You must understand and be absolutely clear that those who attack the elderly in situations like this will go to prison. The only question is for how long."

Lane was sentenced to 21 months custody - 19 months for the charge of GBH and two months for assault by beating.

He was also disqualified from driving for 18 months.

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