Disabled man guilty of gig attack

A heavy metal fan has been found guilty of attacking another man at an Alice Cooper concert in Hampshire.

Disabled Andrew Miller, 46, was convicted at Southampton Crown Court of assault causing actual bodily harm.

Miller, of Emsworth, Hampshire, wears a prosthetic limb after losing part of his leg in a motorcycle accident.

The jury heard he had made a a nuisance of himself by taking off his top and his false leg at the gig at Southampton Guildhall on 25 July last year.

Miller, from Church Road in Emsworth, on the Hampshire and West Sussex border, then punched John Lynch, a service manager for disabled adults and children, several times after his victim asked him to calm down.

"Why people like you have to go and spoil a night out for decent law-abiding people I do not know"

Miller told the court he had acted out of self-defence and had only punched Mr Lynch after he had elbowed him, punched him and hit him with a motorcycle crash helmet.

Mr Lynch suffered bruising to his shoulder and elbow and cuts and bruises to his head while Miller suffered a fracture to his right hand, the jury heard.

Judge John Boggis QC told Miller: "This was a nasty unprovoked attack.

"Why people like you have to go and spoil a night out for decent law-abiding people I do not know."

He adjourned the case for reports to be prepared on Miller, who was released on unconditional bail.

He is due to be sentenced on 8 July.

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