Man repeatedly punched in Telford bus station revenge attack
A man was left with cuts and bruising after he was punched several times on the back of the head in a revenge attack at Telford town centre bus station, a crown court heard.
Andrew Marsden had tried to escape the blows, but was being pulled back by his rucksack as he was struck seven or eight times.
At Shrewsbury Crown Court, 22-year-old forklift truck driver Aaron Jenkins was found guilty by a jury of being responsible for the assault on Mr Marsden in November last year.
Jenkins had denied a charge of taking revenge by assaulting Mr Marsden intending to cause him harm because he had assisted police in an inquiry, and a charge of assault causing actual bodily harm.
Following the brief trial Judge Jonathan Gosling adjourned sentence for reports until August 28.
Jenkins, of Johnston Road, Dawley, Telford, was allowed bail.
The court heard that both men met last year and had a drink together on several occasions, including at Mr Marsden's address, where it was said Jenkins left some clothes after spilling his drink.
Later the pair were arrested on suspicion of robbery and during the investigation Mr Marsden had handed over the items of clothing to the police.
The court heard that subsequently neither man was charged and they had no further contact with each other until the day of the attack in the bus station.
Mr Marsden told members of the jury that he was in the town centre on November 29 and saw Jenkins who was staring at him and called him "a grass".
As Mr Marsden entered a tunnel leading from the bus station to the shopping area he was attacked from behind, members of the jury were told.
The jury was shown a brief CCTV clip from the town centre cameras.
The footage showed a man in a yellow high visibility vest repeatedly striking the victim over the head.
Jenkins told the jury he had not been in the town centre that day and spent most Saturdays with his girlfriend.
He claimed that Mr Marsden had been mistaken.
Under cross examination Jenkins claimed he did not admit he knew Mr Marsden, that he was not the attacker and he did not say where he was on the day because he had been advised by his lawyer to make no comment when interviewed by police.
