Telford man found not guilty of social club attack

Paul McLafferty, 48, who had denied inflicting grievous bodily harm outside a social club more than two years ago, was found not guilty by a jury at Shrewsbury Crown Court on Thursday following a three-day trial. Aled Davies was injured in an incident at the Hadley United Services Club in July, 2015.

Both men, who had never met before, had been guests at a birthday party and the defendant was later accused of head butting Mr Davies in the car park.

The court had heard trouble initially flared in the early hours involving two other men - Nick Bloomer and Luke Byles - inside the premises. Both Mr Davies and his partner, Paula Rajput, had claimed it was McLafferty who had attacked him. Giving evidence during the trial McLafferty, of Bufton Lane, Doseley, said he had seen that his friend was agitated Mr Bloomer, who he had known for 10 years, was agitated and had taken him out of the room into the foyer.

He told the jury that it was the victim and his partner who were aggressive towards him and Mr Bloomer and he had been trying to keep them apart.

“I did not assault Mr Davies. She hit me as I was moving away and he threw a punch. I pushed him away. I was defending myself. I did not head butt him,” he said.

The jury viewed footage from a CCTV camera showing part of the melee in the car park of the social club.

The court heard Mr Davies, a taxi driver, did not make a complaint to police for several weeks after the incident and later picked out McLafferty on an identification videos. He had needed surgery for his injuries and alleged McLafferty was his attacker and told the jury he was not drunk at the time and had consumed no more than five pints of lager.