A CHARITY worker launched an unprovoked attack on an old friend who was pushing his baby grandson in a trolley around a supermarket, a court heard.

Appearing at North East Wales Magistrates’ Court, Dennis Ian Case, of Brook Street, Rhosymedre, pleaded guilty to assaulting Martin Grant Hughes, following the incident at the Tesco superstore in Cefn Mawr on June 10.

Helen Tench, prosecuting, said Mr Hughes was in the store with his nine month old grandson when Case, 51, approached them along an aisle before pushing his trolley into Mr Hughes saying “you’ve been slagging me off”.

Case then headbutted his victim before repeatedly punching Mr Hughes who cried “there’s a baby here” to which the defendant replied “I don’t give a ****”.

Ms Tench said the pair had been friends but had lost touch and not seen each other for three years before the incident.

Case was later arrested and told police officers his recollection of events was “hazy”, due to being on medication for a bad back, but he had not seen the baby when he confronted his old friend.

In interview he dismissed Mr Hughes’ injuries, which included a black eye, as “rubbish”, claiming the headbutt was more of a “nudge”.

Reading Mr Hughes’ victim impact statement, Ms Tench said he felt Case, who had been a boxer in his younger days when they had first met, had shown “total disregard for my grandson’s safety” and had left him “constantly watching my back”.

He said the baby had struggled to sleep since the incident and he had only returned to Tesco on one occasion in “fear of revenge” for going to the police.

Melissa Griffiths, defending, said her client recalled “heads coming together” rather than a targeted head butt and added that many of the punches he threw did not connect.

Despite this she said he fully accepted the offences and was “very remorseful” about what had happened to Mr Hughes who he did not wish any more ill will. She added he regularly volunteered at a Scope charity shop as he could not work anymore due to a serious back injury.

A probation report from probation officer Leah Cosgrove said Case was “genuinely remorseful” and “embarrassed” by his actions because he had no previous convictions.

Imposing a 12 month community order, chair of the bench told Case there were two requirements and that he must carry out 40 hours of unpaid work along with completing 15 days of a rehabilitation activity requirement.

He will also pay £285 compensation to Mr Hughes along with costs of £85 and a victim surcharge of £85.