Telford man cleared of assaults
A man has been cleared of assault and common assault following a dispute at his home.
Danny Hughes, aged 28 and of Mount Pleasant Road, Telford, said he had restrained his former partner's sister after she launched herself at him.
A jury at Shrewsbury Crown Court found Mr Hughes not guilty of the two offences against Lauren Pierce and her partner Michael Pugh.
He denied one count of assaulting Mr Hughes causing actual bodily harm and one count of common assault relating to Lauren Pierce.
The court heard that there was an argument when Mr Hughes' partner, Sian Pierce, and her sister Lauren came home late from a nightspot.
Mr Hughes had prepared a meal for them and Michael Pugh, Lauren Pierce’s partner, in the early hours of January 7.
Mr Hughes said he had gone to find the woman at the Three Furnaces bar when they did not return home or a meal he had cooked for them.
He said he threw their plates of food on the drive and barricaded the front door when he got back and throwing piles of Miss Pierce’s clothes, on the drive.
The women and Michael Pugh went into the house and a scuffle began.
Giving evidence, Mr Hughes told the jury that he restrained Lauren Pierce by holding her shoulder and neck after she had “launched herself” at him, and chased Mr Pugh away from the house. He denied having a knife.
The four had attended a relative’s birthday celebration the previous evening before going separate ways later in the night.
Lauren and Sian Pierce went to the pub while Hughes and Mr Pugh went back to Hughes’ home to play on a PlayStation.
