A MAN who assaulted two people and smashed the windows of their house after “a night out gone wrong” faces prison or a community order when he learns his fate later this month.

Ross Tudge, 25, of Quay Lane, Hanley Castle, assaulted Stuart Franklin at his home in Upton-Upon-Severn after a night out in the town.

Magistrates in Worcester heard how Tudge had gone out with Mr Franklin and his partner Claire Oaten on the evening of April 13 this year for drinks as he was the partner of Mrs Oaten’s daughter April.

The four had gone out to celebrate April’s upcoming birthday, and Tudge met up with Mr Franklin in the King’s Head pub earlier that evening, where they each had a few pints before meeting up with the two women and going to the Old Butcher Shop wine bar.

While at the wine bar, Tudge and April had a disagreement and Tudge left the bar before the others moved on to the social club for further drinks.

Mr Franklin and Mrs Oaten only stayed at the social club for a few minutes before deciding to return home to their house in Old Street.

Mr Franklin told the court: “I got home just before midnight and was just dosing off when I heard some noise downstairs.

“I could hear banging on the door and could hear raised voices.

“Claire shouted me to come down as Ross was trying to force his way in so I came downstairs and could see him on the doorstep.”

As Mr Franklin was telling Tudge to leave, he was punched in the face by Tudge.

In response, Mr Franklin punched Tudge, dislocating his shoulder in the process, and the two tumbled down the steps into Old Street.

The court heard how Mr Franklin told Tudge his shoulder had “come out” and told Mrs Oaten to call an ambulance.

Tudge apparently took no notice of this and carried on hitting Mr Franklin in the face as he sat on the ground.

After this, Mr Franklin went back into the house to put a bag of frozen peas on his injured shoulder, and heard smashing noises.

Going into the living room, he saw Tudge punching the windows of the house, smashing them, and causing £1,000 worth of damage.

In his defence, Tudge claimed he had been hit by Mr Franklin first, and was acting in self defence.

Owen Beale, prosecuting, said to Tudge: “If you are a man who has been attacked and defended himself, why did you smash all those windows?

“You weren’t thinking at all were you? You were drunk and angry and you went to the house for an argument in the first place, didn’t you?

“Everything you did was to have a go at the people in that house.”

Mark Turnbull, defending Tudge, said: “There is nothing in this case that puts it in the top bracket of offence.

“There was no premeditation to it and what we have is that there was a lot of alcohol consumed.

“For that top bracket, there would have to be a group of offenders or weapons being used.”

After retiring to deliberate, magistrates found Tudge guilty of assault, in addition to his earlier guilty plea to criminal damage, relating to the breaking of the windows.

Dr Carys Clarke, chair of the bench, said: “We find the prosecution witnesses are reliable and that Mr Tudge threw the first punch and was aggressive.

“There is no reason that you had a genuine belief you were in danger.

“We find your actions were not reasonable or proportionate and if you felt genuinely threatened, you had the option to leave the scene.”

Tudge was found guilty on both charges, and and was bailed on the condition he does not contact Mr Franklin or Mrs Oaten until July 18, when he will be sentenced.

Tudge could face a high level community order or imprisonment as he has a previous conviction for battery from 2016.