Shropshire men, aged 48 and 39, sentenced after attack leaves teenager scarred

Lee Howen assaulted the stranger after the latter jumped over a low wall to talk to his friend, who was at a party Howen was also attending.

Paul Jones joined in the assault and delivered uppercut punches to the victim, Telford Magistrates Court heard this week.

The teen had been enjoying Broseley Festival on June 15 last year before heading to the town's High Street to find a pub, prosecutor Sara Beddows said.

On the way there he saw his friend in the garden of a house that was hosting a private house party.

He jumped over a waist-high wall to speak to him before jumping back over and continuing on his way to the pub.

"At this point he was shoved on the right shoulder by someone he didn't know, who he later learned was Mr Howen," Miss Beddows said.

"Mr Howen appeared to be aggressive. He asked [the victim] what he was doing, he asked him if he had tried to get into his house."

The victim denied this and swore at him, then tried to leave before Howen punched him several times to the head.

During the assault, Howen's friend Paul Jones approached and also began punching the victim.

'Horrendous ordeal'

The victim got away but was left with a bloody face. He was taken to hospital and a cut above his left eyebrow had to be glued.

In a victim impact statement that was read to the court, he said: "Being subjected to such a malicious, unprovoked attack has... totally knocked my confidence.

"I wouldn't venture into the town for fear of retribution.

"Having a scar on my face is a constant reminder of the horrendous ordeal I was subjected to."

Howen, 48, pleaded guilty to assault causing actual bodily harm and Jones, 39, admitted common assault. They were sentenced on Tuesday.

Representing both men, Jodie Smith told the court that they were of good character.

She described Howen, of Caughley Close, as "frankly a perfect citizen" and said that Jones, of Speeds Lane, gave up much of his time volunteering for a football team.

"Context is absolutely everything," she said. Howen had been "pressured" by other men at the house party to do something about people entering the party without being invited.

Chair of the magistrates bench Ashley Clayton said that the victim's injuries, the presence of Howen's young child and the involvement of alcohol all made the assault "extremely serious".

Howen was given eight weeks in jail, suspended for 12 weeks, and told to carry out 60 hours of unpaid work and pay £700 in compensation.

Jones was given a conditional discharge and told to pay £200 in compensation.