Jailed: Jealous ex in 'horror movie' crowbar attack on wife's new partner in front of kids

David Troth, aged 71, smashed a vase over the victim's head, hit him with a torch and, took "lumps of flesh" out of his arm with the crowbar.

Shrewsbury Crown Court heard how Troth, who had already split from his wife of 15 years and knew about her new relationship, was infuriated to find the pair in the marital bed at the home they previously shared in Much Wenlock.

Troth, of The Square, Broseley, launched a "ferocious" attack, chasing the victim from room to room, who tried to restrain him to no avail. Troth's ex tried to call the police, but he knocked the phone out of her hand.

Rob Edwards, prosecuting, told how when Troth's ex and her partner ran out of their home, but they couldn't escape him as he had parked his lorry blocking the exit of their rural property. They cowered in the car as Troth smashed the window with a crowbar, raining down blows onto his ex's partner.

Eventually, Troth sped off in his lorry. Police arrived at the property and Troth was arrested shortly after. In police bodycam footage, Troth could be seen saying: "Sorry, I lost the plot".

The assault left the victim needing a plate in his head after his skull was fractured, and skin grafts from his thigh to heal the damage done to his arms.

In a victim impact statement, he said he has lost the feeling in part of his arm and still has night terrors more than three years after the incident, which happened on October 6, 2019.

Troth pleaded guilty to wounding with intent.

Suzanne Francis, defending, accepted that the crowbar Troth used was "highly dangerous", but insisted the attack was not pre-planned.

She also said it was "devastating" for Troth that he may never have contact with his children again.

Judge Anthony Lowe described Troth's attack as "a horrible combination of extreme anger caused by extreme jealousy".

"At no stage did you come to your senses," Judge Lowe told Troth. "This was a long and persistent attack. The iron bar was a highly dangerous weapon.

"Some of the injuries he (the victim) doesn't even know how he got, such was the ferocity of the attack.

"Your own children saw this attack going on. It must have been, from their point of view, something like you would see in a horror movie."

The judge said witnessing the attack would take Troth's children "significant time" to come to terms with.

Troth was jailed for 11 years. He is expected to serve two thirds of the sentence in custody before being released on license.