A retired teacher was attacked as he withdrew cash from a town centre cash machine on a busy lunchtime.

Gareth Wyn Evans, 62, ended up with a broken leg and was knocked unconscious, in Newtown, as passers-by, including motorists, stopped to help because they were so concerned at what was taking place, a jury was told on Wednesday.

At one stage it was alleged that defendant Alan Richard Miles Davies jumped into the air and stamped on his leg.

Davies, 49, of Edwards Field in Newtown, has admitted a charge of inflicting grievous bodily harm.

But Mold Crown Court was told he denied attempted robbery, and alternative charges of inflicting grievous bodily harm with intent, one on the basis that he stamped on his leg.

Davies denies stamping.

Prosecuting barrister Paulinus Barnes said that Mr Evans was in Newtown High Street on Saturday, January 14, withdrawing cash when he was attacked from behind.

His hair was pulled, his head was banged against the wall, he was taken to the floor and stamped on with such force that his leg was broken.

“The man who attacked him was demanding money,” he said.

Mr Evans and his partner Elizabeth Davies had been out shopping. She had a rescue Alsatian type dog named Cody with her and the animal was described as nervous.

The prosecutor said that she was bumped into by a man who had a dog. Her dog sniffed the other dog and as that was happening the other man, who the prosecution said was Davies, dropped his rucksack and liquid could be seen coming from it. She assumed a bottle inside had broken when the bag was dropped.

She went to the car as her husband went to the cash point. His recollection of what happened next was affected by the fact that he was knocked out.

He recalled being held by the scruff of his neck, a man said he owed him £16, he was pushed into the wall of the bank, forwards then backwards.

When he was on the floor, he recalled being stamped on by the man. Davies was said to have jumped up with both feet off the floor and landed on his leg.

It was about mid-day, in a busy high street, and witnesses saw him being pushed, being kicked and shouts of “you owe me money” and “give me the money.”

A crowd gathered and members of the public intervened. Davies left the scene but was followed by one of the crowd who rang the police and pointed out the house he had gone to.

The defendant claimed to police that the other man started it and said: “His dog attacked mine.”

Interviewed, he said he went to Iceland and bought a bottle of whisky, he put that in his duffle bag and claimed that later his dog was attacked by a bigger dog. It was during that incident his bag fell and the bottle broke.

He saw the man at the cash point and told him he owed him “15 quid for the whisky”. The man tried to brush past him, he alleged and he admitted grabbing him. He fell to the floor and he admitted kicking him once only. When people gathered around he said he “did a runner.”

Davies denied trying to rob the man and said he felt justified in asking for money for the broken bottle of whisky. He had tried to pull money out of his hand but had not succeeded.

Mr Evans was taken to Bronglais Hospital in Aberystwyth where he was found to have a fractured tibia and fibula consistent with being stamped on.

He remained in hospital for two weeks. In view of a previous bad experience he opted for a non-surgical option of bed rest and immobilisation of his knee and lower leg.

The court case continues.