Shropshire Star

Fight near Shropshire pub left man with broken jaw

A man's jaw was fractured when he was punched twice during a street fight outside a Bridgnorth pub more than a year ago, a court heard.

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John Houghton, aged 33, was injured following a clash between two groups who had earlier been drinking in the Crown pub in January last year.

At Shrewsbury Crown Court yesterday, 20-year-old Luke Owen admitted a charge of affray and was given a community order for a year, ordered to complete 140 hours unpaid work and pay £300 costs.

Owen, of Tapley Close, Bridgnorth, had been due to face trial having denied an allegation of unlawful wounding, but pleaded guilty to affray and accepted punching the victim.

Recorder Dennis Desmond said he accepted that Owen was near a taxi rank and had not been lying in wait for Mr Houghton and there had been some provocation and he had shown remorse for the injury.

He said it was clear that the victim had not been helpful with police at the scene and only made a complaint after the jaw injury was revealed 12 days later.

Recorder Desmond recorded a formal not guilty verdict on the charge of inflicting grievous bodily harm.

Mr Robert Edwards, prosecuting, said that the two groups were seen on CCTV from the pub being asked to leave after a confrontation.

He said the defendant's party left by the front entrance and Mr Houghton and his group were let out through a rear door, when there was shouting and 33-year-old Mr Houghton was knocked unconscious.

Taxi driver Stuart Mountford later told police he saw an initial punch and the victim falling onto the bonnet of his car.

Mr Edwards said a woman with Mr Houghton spoke to him and they were at the passenger side of the taxi when there was a second blow "delivered with force" to the victim's face.

He said Mr Houghton went to hospital the next day and needed stitches to a cut on his head.

On January 16 Mr Houghton returned to the hospital complaining of pain to his face and it was then that the undisplaced fracture of the jaw was discovered.

Mr Timothy Sapwell, for Owen, said his client said he had felt "terrible" when he heard about the injury he had caused to Mr Houghton.

Mr Sapwell said Owen was only 18 at the time and on a rare night out with his brother and friends.

Mr Sapwell told the court that as a result of the conviction Owen's job may now be in jeopardy.

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