Man jailed for attack at Telford store

Shoppers watched in horror as Richard Smith rugby-tackled Louis Bates to the ground before slamming him up against a glass door and then on to a display sofa while raining punches down on his head and body.

The onslaught only ended when Smith was pulled off him by a group of people. Smith told police an argument broke out because he thought Mr Bates was "staring at him" and his female companion as they went past on opposite escalators at the Asda store in Telford town centre.

Shrewsbury Crown Court heard words were exchanged on the escalators and Mr Bates waited at the bottom for Smith, who got off at the top and turned to come straight back down again.

CCTV footage of the incident on May 27 last year shows the two men briefly shaking hands and Smith, 28, setting off back upstairs. But seconds later he turned back around and started attacking Mr Bates.

Smith, of Farm Lodge Grove, Malinslee, Telford, had pleaded guilty to inflicting grievous bodily harm on Mr Bates at a previous hearing and was at court yesterday to be sentenced. Mr Robert Edwards, prosecuting, said it was a "sustained" assault which caused serious injury.

Reading out a victim impact statement he said Mr Bates was a keen guitarist who had lost out on money performing at weddings and other functions because of the injury.

Mr Mike Sherwood-Smith, for Smith, said his client claimed Mr Bates had said something "sarcastic and vaguely threatening" that caused him to turn around after offering his hand in friendship.

Sentencing Smith, Recorder Mr Denis Desmond said: "

You thought Mr Bates was staring at you. To start a violent attack because of that is really pathetic."

The judge sentenced Smith to 15 months in prison. He was also sentenced to an extra three months for committing the offence while serving a suspended sentence.