Retired teacher's leg broken in cash point attack, court told

Gareth Wyn Evans, 62, ended up with a broken leg and was knocked unconscious as passers-by, including motorists, stopped to help because they were so concerned at what was taking place, a jury was told.

At one stage it was alleged that defendant Alan Davies jumped into the air and stamped on his leg.

Davies, 49, of Edwards Field, Newtown, has admitted a charge of inflicting grievous bodily harm. But Mold Crown Court was told he denied attempted robbery, and alternative charges of inflicting GBH with intent, on the basis that he stamped on his leg. Davies denies stamping.

Prosecuting barrister Paulinus Barnes said that Mr Evans was in Newtown High Street on January 14 withdrawing cash when he was attacked from behind. His hair was pulled, his head was banged against the wall, he was taken to the floor and stamped on with such force that his leg was broken.

“The man who attacked him was demanding money,” he said.

Mr Evans and his partner Elizabeth Davies had been out shopping, they split up and later met up. She was with her dog and a man with a dog bumped into her.

Her dog sniffed the other dog and as that was happening the other man, who the prosecution said was Davies, dropped his rucksack and liquid could be seen coming from it. She assumed a bottle inside had broken when the bag was dropped.

She went to the car as her husband went to the cash point. His recollection of what happened next was affected by the fact that he was knocked out. Mr Evans recalled being held by the scruff of his neck, a man said he owed him £16, he was pushed into the wall of the bank, forwards then backwards. When he was on the floor, he recalled being stamped on by the man.

Davies was said to have jumped up with both feet off the floor and landed on his leg.

It was about midday, in a busy high street, and witnesses saw him being pushed, being kicked and shouts of “you owe me money” and “give me the money.”

A crowd gathered and members of the public intervened.

The court was told that Davies left the scene but was followed by one of the crowd who rang the police and pointed out the house he had gone to.

The defendant claimed to police that the other man started it and said “his dog attacked mine”.

Interviewed, he said that morning he had picked up his dog from his mother’s. He went to Iceland and bought a bottle of whisky, he put that in his duffle bag and claimed that later his dog was attacked by a bigger dog. It was during that incident his bag fell and the bottle broke. He saw the man at the cash point and told him he “owed him fifteen quid for the whisky”.

The man tried to brush past him, he alleged, and he admitted grabbing him.

He fell to the floor and he admitted kicking him once only.

When people gathered around he “did a runner”.

Davies denied trying to rob the man and said he felt justified in asking for money for the broken bottle of whisky.

He had tried to pull money out of his hand but had not succeeded.

Mr Evans was taken to Bronglais Hospital in Aberystwyth where he was found to have a fractured tibia and fibula consistent with being stamped on. He remained in hospital for two weeks. In view of a previous bad experience he opted for a non surgical option of bed rest and immobilisation of his knee and lower leg.

The trial continues.