Army lieutenant attacked man after night out in Shrewsbury

After returning to his friend's flat after a night out, Christopher Hughes punched Andrew Perry four to five times in the face as well as getting him in a choke hold.

Hughes, 25, appeared at Shrewsbury Magistrates Court yesterday where he pleaded guilty to assaulting Mr Perry by beating him.

The assault happened on August 8 in Castle Foregate, Shrewsbury.

Mr Mike Phillips, prosecuting, said police were called to the assault at 5am by the victim's girlfriend, and on arrival police spoke to the victim.

Mr Perry had suffered a number of injuries following the attack, including bleeding on the left side of his lower lip, bruising to his neck and a red nostril.

On the day of the incident Mr Perry was disturbed by a man who rung the doorbell of the communal flat. A row between Mr Perry and Hughes broke out when Hughes swore at Mr Perry's girlfriend, and Mr Perry told him not to speak to her like that.

Hughes pushed Mr Perry in an "aggressive manner" and the pair both fell down the stairs, before Hughes went on to punch Mr Perry four to five times in the face, causing his lip to split and his nose to bleed for around five minutes afterwards, the court heard.

Hughes then got Mr Perry in a choke hold but by this point Mr Perry's girlfriend managed to step in and he got out of the choke hold before running back to his flat.

In police interview Hughes said he had been out for the night with his friends and had "drank a lot".

Danny Smith, for Hughes, told the court his client was a lieutenant in the Army with an "unblemished" career.

Hughes, of St John's Road in Farnborough, Hampshire, was fined £750, as well as ordered to pay the criminal court charge of £150, a £75 victim surcharge, and compensation of £200.