A man denies robbing and attacking a homeless man, leaving him needing to spend weeks in hospital with a fractured eye socket and ruptured spleen.

Phillip Collo, 43 of Bryn Clyd, Leeswood, Flintshire, pleaded not guilty to robbing a rucksack and mobile phone from Martin Woolley on May 20 last year, and grievous bodily harm against the same man four days later.

Mold Crown Court heard Mr Woolley, who lived with his friend Neil Young in a tent off the A483 near Stansty Road, Wrexham, was disturbed by three men at around 6.30am on Sunday May 20 last year.

He was said to have been kicked through the side of his tent before being hauled out. He heard someone shouting he had "robbed money" from a woman called Becky Hughes, another homeless person.

 

Mr Woolley said he recognised the men, including Collo, who he had known from the Wrexham homeless community.

Also there was Jonathan Owen, 42 of Holt Road, Wrexham, who pleaded guilty to robbery at the start of the trial - with a charge of assault left on file.

Christopher Walsh, 30 of no fixed abode, was formally found not guilty of robbery, wounding with intent and two common assaults at the start of the trial, after a key witness failed to turn up. Mr Woolley said he knew Owen but only knew the third assailant as "Chris".

Prosecutor Simon Mintz said Owen told Woolley "I f***ing hate you" before punching and kicking him in the face.

 

He added: "One of the attackers said 'you have got until Monday to get the money back'. They then took his rucksack and mobile phone and said 'you better not tell the police'. Mr Woolley was left spitting blood and attended Wrexham Maelor Hospital."

Although North Wales Police saw him he decided not to complain through fear of reprisals from the men, added Mr Mintz.

On Thursday May 24, three men returned at about 8pm. Mr Woolley said Collo, "Chris" and a third male approached his tent. He was kicked a number of times.

Giving evidence the victim said: "There were kicks coming from everywhere. I was really ill. I was coughing up blood from the first time."

He was dragged from the tent and someone shouted "where's the money?". The prosecution said it was at this point Collo kicked Mr Woolley in the face and said "you better have the money this time or we will kill you".

 

The police were called and found the victim badly beaten. He was kept in hospital with a ruptured spleen and fractured eye socket for more than two weeks.

Collo was interviewed by police but said he lived with his mother in Leeswood and had been there when the alleged attack took place. He said he was taken in to Wrexham town centre by taxi later in the morning but enquiries established the firm had no record of picking him up.

Information from Collo's phone provider showed his data was being directed through transmitters in Wrexham town centre both before and shortly after the attack on Mr Woolley.

Collo then said in court he had lent his phone to someone, which explained why it was being picked up by the mast in Wrexham. He denied attacking Mr Woolley or robbing his property.

The trial continues and the jury will be released to consider its verdict tomorrow