A man who attacked an Ellesmere pensioner after knocking on his door has been jailed.

Colin Roberts was left bleeding after he was punched in the face as he tried to get a drunk and unwanted visitor to leave his home.

At Shrewsbury Crown Court on Wednesday, Philip Moss was jailed for 21 months.

He was convicted of assaulting Mr Roberts causing him actual bodily harm following a brief trial last month.

Moss, of The Ridings, Bicton Heath, Shrewsbury, had attacked Mr Roberts at his home in Victoria Street a year ago.

The jury had heard Moss was dropped off in Ellesmere on the evening of March 31 by a friend after working in Wrexham and was on his way to Wem.

Moss had walked down Victoria Street and knocked on Mr Roberts’ door and entered the house.

He was told to leave and when Mr Roberts tried to push him back out of the door Moss had punched him in the face leaving him needing stitches to a facial injury.

A neighbour had seen a man peering into Mr Roberts’ window and asking to be let in and she and Mr Roberts both later identified the defendant.

The neighbour had heard the man shouting in the street on the phone saying 'you’ve left me, I don’t know where I am'.

Moss maintained he was a victim of mistaken identity and that he was simply in the wrong place at the wrong time when he was picked up by police opposite Mr Roberts' home.

It was suggested the attacker had walked away from the scene and been “replaced” by the defendant who was of a similar description.

He had denied going to Mr Roberts' home and said he had drunk four vodka mixers around 6pm, three hours before the incident, and was 'merry' but not intoxicated.