'Grossly stupid': Victim left with broken leg after dog owners row outside Telford primary school

Darren Brown, aged 52, "lost his rag" outside a primary school when he got into a row with another dog walker about his pets being off their leads.

Angry words were exchanged before the 41-year-old victim tried to push past Brown, who "shoved" him, causing him to calamitously trip over the dog.

Brown then stood over the victim as he lay prone, furiously ranting, and made a threat that he would "break his legs". As it turned out, his actions had already caused one of the victim's legs to fracture.

Shrewsbury Crown Court heard how the two came into confrontation outside Windmill Primary School in Beaconsfield, Brookside, on October 14, 2021.

Laura Batha, prosecuting, said the victim told Brown his dogs "should be on a lead," and referred to a previous incident.

Brown approached the victim and asked if he "had a problem". "The complainant said he had a problem with unleashed dogs," said Ms Batha.

The victim told Brown to "back the **** up!" and tried to push past him with his arm. But Brown shoved him back, causing the victim to fall over the dog.

As he lay on the floor, Brown told the victim: "Don't put your hands on anybody!"

At that point a woman came out from the school to see what was going on, but was left "frightened" by Brown's aggression.

Ms Batha said Brown threatened to kill the victim, adding: "I'll do your whole family. I'll take my dogs back and break your legs."

The police and paramedics arrived, and the victim was taken to hospital in an ambulance. It was later discovered he had suffered a 12cm crack to his tibial plateau - the top of the shin bone. He had to have surgery and has undergone physiotherapy.

He said, in a victim impact statement: "My anxiety is really bad. I don't hardly go out at all. He was standing over me for 10 minutes. This has affected me massively. His words still ring in my ears. I'm always looking over my shoulder."

The victim added that he has had to stop working as a scaffolder due to the injury meaning he would be "a liability" on site.

"I'm still very concerned about the threats," he added. "He (Brown) said he would set my house on fire and that he was sent here to put people like me in the river. He is free to attack me when he wants."

Brown, of Bembridge, Brookside, Telford, pleaded guilty to one count of inflicting grievous bodily harm without intent.

Paul Smith, mitigating, said Brown "deeply regrets" his actions.

Recorder Jason MacAdam told Brown: "This was gross stupidity. You are a man with a history, and you know that you will be judged by it.

"It was an act of aggression towards a member of the public. He accepts that he pushed past you. If it had stopped there you would have gone home to your partner and said 'there was a rude man in the park', and that would have been the end of it.

"What you did was you lost your rag. Others witnessed you being aggressive. You have an appalling record."

He handed Brown an eight-month prison sentence, suspended for 15 months. Brown was also ordered to pay £100 in prosecution costs and a £156 victim surcharge.