Plumber, 55, who battered childhood pal for telling his wife he was paying for sex with prostitutes is jailed
A plumber who battered his childhood friend for telling his wife he was paying for sex with prostitutes has been locked up.
James Blair shouted: “Why did you tell her?” as he punched his victim in the face “at least 20 times”, leaving him with a fractured nose, fractured eye socket, chipped teeth and bruising.
Sign up for our FREE weekly Nostalgia Newsletter - with scores of archive pictures and exclusive features on the history of Shropshire and Mid Wales - all sent to your inbox every Friday. Sign up here
Shrewsbury Crown Court was told that both were members of the Sir John Bayley Bowling Club in Wellington, and they had been at a social club event on the evening of June 30, 2023.
Later on they went back to Blair’s to continue their night. Blair went to bed, while his “tipsy” friend was chatting to his wife downstairs.
“She began to question him about whether he [Blair] had been cheating on her,” said Richard Davenport, prosecuting.
“He said he felt sorry for her, and told her the defendant was paying prostitutes to have sex with.”
Blair’s wife got upset and went to confront her husband. Meanwhile, Blair’s friend left the property.
Shortly after, as he was walking home, he spotted Blair’s work van, a Ford Transit with Blair Heating and Plumbing emblazoned on the side.
Blair, a 55-year-old father and husband, got out of the van and laid into his friend.
“He punched him in the face and caused him to fall to the ground,” said Mr Davenport.
The victim said that he “thought he would be killed”.
A member of the public driving past saw what happened and stopped, prompting Blair to get back in his van and drive off.
