Court told Telford man spat in 'nasty' row outside school
A man spat in his former partner's face during a row at a school as parents came to collect their children, a court was told.
Lee Andrew Davies was "nose to nose" with the woman, shouting and swearing in front of children and parents at the school on April 13, prosecutor Mr Chris Coughlan told magistrates sitting at Telford.
Mr Coughlan said the victim had been collecting her children from the school when Davies arrived and had begun shouting and swearing at her.
"Suddenly and without warning he spat in her face," said Mr Coughlan.
Mr Coughlan described what had happened that day as "a nasty incident with children present".
The court was told Davies, of Willowfield, Telford, had no previous convictions as he pleaded guilty to assault by beating.
For Davies, Mr John McMillan told magistrates the assault case had stemmed from a custody argument.
He said Davies, 28, had been having regular contact with his children every fortnight but he had suddenly been told he could no longer see them.
"A decision was made by his former partner that he was not going to see his children any more," said Mr McMillan.
As the defendant did not know where the victim was living, his only choice was to go to the school where he knew his children were attending.
"All he wanted to do was to try to see if he could speak to her in a sensible fashion," said Mr McMillan.
"However, it didn't work out that way."
Describing it as an isolated incident, Mr McMillan added that Davies was ashamed of what he had done.
"It shouldn't have happened at a school and he's disgusted with his behaviour," said Mr McMillan.
Davies had still not seen his children since the incident and was unsure whether he would be able to make use of legal ways to gain access as legal aid had been cut from domestic matters, said Mr McMillan.
Magistrates gave him an eight-month conditional discharge.
They also ordered Davies to pay £250 in various court charges.
