Shropshire man who attacked wife’s new partner fined after 'mistakenly' contacting victim on Facebook

Mark Andrews, of Hope Valley, Minsterley, pleaded guilty to breaching a restraining order when he appeared before Telford Magistrates Court on Friday (October 23).

In 2021, the 66-year-old was jailed after a brutal attack on his wife’s new partner. He was also issued with lifelong restraining order, forbidding him to contact his victim.

But the prosecutor told the court that, in July this year, Andrews had accessed a public Facebook group and commented on a post created by his victim.

The victim told police that the incident had caused him “significant stress and anxiety” and brought back memories of the assault.

Andrews told magistrates the comment had been “a total mistake”. He claimed he did not know the post had been created by his victim, insisting he had not seen the poster’s name.

“As soon as I was told about it I took it down and deleted my Facebook page,” he said.

“I’ve been out of prison for three years and I have kept my head down, I want nothing to do with the man.”

Magistrates said they accepted it was a genuine mistake, and fined Andrews £233.

He’ll also have to pay £85 in prosecution costs and a victim surcharge of £93.