Jury takes 10 minutes to clear teenager of attack on millionaire
A TEENAGER has been cleared of attacking a millionaire Cheshire businessman at his daughter’s 18th birthday party.
After a jury took less than 10 minutes to find Lawrence Adams did NOT assault Robert Hughes, the 19-year-old broke down in tears in the dock and thanked the jurors.
His emotional parents, who supported him each day of the four-day trial, hugged and kissed him after he was discharged from the dock at Preston Crown Court and hurried away from the building.
It had been alleged that Mr Adams had punched 59-yearold Mr Roberts after a brawl broke out at his daughter Ellen’s party.
The fight involved Mr Adams’ group of friends and an older group including the birthday girl’s brother, Cameron, 22.
Michael Whitty, prosecuting, said about 60 young people were enjoying the party held in a marquee – with a free bar – in the landscaped grounds of the family’s mansion on Wilmslow Road, Mottram St Andrew, near Macclesfield, on December 23, 2015.
But one of his friends was allegedly insulted by an older reveller and the two groups began pushing, shoving and swearing.
Mr Roberts, vice-chairman of the local parish council, told how he rushed out after his novelist wife told him it was ‘all kicking off ’ and he alleged that while herding the younger group down the driveway he was punched by Mr Adams, leaving him with a black eye.
And when they got outside the electronically-controlled gates he alleged that Mr Adams, who was then studying at Aquinas College, Stockport, punched him again, knocking him down and leaving him with a gashed head. But Mr Adams told the jury of six men and six women that it was Mr Hughes who had attacked him so he punched him back.
He said: “I was shocked to see this 6ft 3ins guy towering above me looking very, very aggressive and in that moment, in an act of self-defence I thought I need to hit this guy back. I feared for my general safety.
“After I punched him I backed off. I wasn’t going to lay into a grown man.” Mr Adams, who said he had drunk seven glasses of Prosecco, told the court he and his group continued up the drive towards the gates ‘of my own accord.’ The next time he saw Mr Hughes was outside the gates.
Mr Adams, of Stoneheads, Whaley Bridge, Derbyshire, said: “He grabbed my arm with two arms and pulled me into the gate and my face was pressed against the gate. It was hard to push away so I dropped myself on the ground and slipped out from his force.”
He denied he had struck Mr Hughes a second blow and stood over him laughing but did admit that while outside the gate he had been gesturing aggressively at the group on the inside but explained that Cameron had been making vile threats at him and his family through the gate.
He said: “Cameron was trying to punch me through the gate but I didn’t respond physically. I responded verbally by saying, ‘You’re a hard man.’ I feel kind of silly about that now.”
Footage of the chaotic scene at the gate had been recorded on a phone by one of Mr Adams’ friends and this revealing clip – in which Cameron was heard making threats – was played to the jury. Lawrence Adams