Shropshire pub diner is cleared of assault on manager
A 20-year-old man accused of attacking a member of staff at a Shropshire pub after complaining about the service has been cleared of assault by a jury.
Richard Thomas, 20, of Coton, in Whitchurch, was found not guilty by a jury at Shrewsbury Crown Court yesterday following a trial.
He was cleared of assault occasioning actual bodily harm and assault by beating .
The offences were alleged to have taken place at the Oxon Priory pub in Shelton on March 4. Mr Thomas had denied the charges.
It followed allegations by Matthew Allen, who was assistant manager at the pub at the time, that he was assaulted by Mr Thomas who had complained that a topping was missing from his steak and his girlfriend's food was cold.
During the trial it was alleged that Mr Allen was punched three times, which caused him to lose a tooth and suffer bruising.
The jury also heard Mr Thomas had been accused of punching Beverley Rogers in the chest, who was the deputy manager at The Oxon Priory.
But Mr Thomas told the court he had acted in self defence.
Mr Nicholas Smith, for Mr Thomas, claimed Mr Allen was the aggressor and Mr Thomas had just defended himself.
During the trial, Mr Thomas' girlfriend Danielle Molyneux told the court the couple had been regular visitors to the pub, going there about once every couple of months or so.
She said Mr Allen had looked 'hot and bothered' on March 4 and when they spoke to him he 'got aggressive'.
Miss Molyneux claimed that Mr Allen had pushed Mr Thomas who had only acted in self defence.
