Husband was stamped on head in attack after Shropshire fancy dress party, court told

Katie Riley was giving evidence during the trial of a father and son accused of causing grievous bodily harm with intent on Gordon Riley.

She told the jury of seven men and five women at Shrewsbury Crown Court that her husband had his head stamped on after confronting a group who allegedly were seen throwing beer cans at a car near to Pontesbury Village Hall in November 2015.

Mrs Riley had been at a "cowboys and builders" fancy dress party for a work colleague with her husband and daughter when they came across the defendants, the court was told.

She said she had earlier seen Kenneth Mansell, 38 and his son Jordan, 20, misbehaving at the party.

She told the court: “It was them being stupid on the dance floor, trousers around their ankles, and having had too much to drink.

“We heard cans being thrown at a car into the road. One hit me on the leg. There was a group of three men being rowdy.

“Gordon walked towards them. I believe he said something along the lines of ‘What was that for?’

“All of a sudden Gordon was on the floor curled up in a ball. Me and my daughter ran over.

“He was being attacked from all angles, being kicked in the head from the side. I saw a couple of swings from each side of him to the head. I assume that is what put him to the floor.

“They ran and stamped on his head. It was all three of them.

“One was Ken Mansell, one was Jordan Mansell and I don’t know the third. I tried to pull them off.

“My daughter tried to protect his head, She was trying to get in the way to stop them.

“Jordan Mansell was lying across him to make sure he did not get away. They carried on kicking his head, face, anywhere they could get a kick in.

“I got pushed back across the road onto my bum. Ken Mansell pushed me in the chest with both hands.

“I noticed Chloe was in the middle somehow. She said ‘Stop hurting my dad you are going to kill him’.

“Eventually they got off. He was not moving and was struggling to breathe.

“I am a registered nurse with 10 years experience but I panicked and did not know what to do.

“He did not lay one finger on them. There was not one mark on Gordon’s hands.

“He did not even have the opportunity to defend himself.”

Earlier in the trial, Mr Riley denied suggestions from defending barristers that he started the altercation by punching Jordan Mansell before being pulled away by Kenneth Mansell.

Both the defendants, of Kingsway North, York, deny a charge of causing GBH with intent, two charges of assault by beating and one of criminal damage.

The trial continues.