A MAN who grabbed a 14-year-old boy by the neck and punched him after seeing the teenager pushing a younger boy, has been found guilty of assault.

Worcester Magistrates said 38-year-old Karl Ford, had "overreacted" in his response after he believed an 11-year-old was being attacked.

Lee Ellerton, aged 19, was also found guilty of assault, which occurred on August 29 on the corner of St Philips Drive and Charity Crescent, in Evesham.

The 14-year-old victim, who cannot be named for legal reasons, told the court that at around 6pm an 11-year-old boy was bullying his younger brother.

The 11-year-old tried to hit the victim's brother but the teenager stopped him.

"I stepped in to stop him from hitting my brother and I pushed him away," said the teenager.

Ford and Ellerton, both from St Philips Drive, Evesham, arrived on the scene a few minutes later and according to Paul Witfield, prosecuting, Ford grabbed the 14-year-old boy by the neck so hard that he left marks on his skin and then punched him in the arm.

He said that as the boy was on all fours trying to get back up Ellerton pushed him back down with his foot.

The boy suffered bruising on the left-hand side of his neck where the man's fingers had been, and bruising to his arm.

However, Barry Newton, defending, said Ford and Ellerton believed the boy had been kicked to the ground, which resulted in a cut to his knee.

He added that there were too many inconsistencies between the victim's evidence and that of his friend who witnessed the incident, thereby making it unreliable.

Different

"What you heard from the boy is dramatically different to what his friend said.

"He said Karl Ford approached him and grabbed him from the front but his friend said he grabbed him from behind," said Mr Newton.

Chairman of the bench Angela Judge said there was evidence that Ford punched the boy and that the Ellerton had pushed him down with his foot.

"We believe the defendant thought the boy was being attacked but he overreacted," she said.

The court has ordered a probation report for both men to be heard on Friday, May 30.