Mourner guilty of attack on traffic warden

10:17am Wednesday 20th August 2008

A funeral mourner from Tooting who attacked a traffic warden following the wake of a soldier killed in Iraq has been found guilty of actual bodily harm.

Steven Pratley had attended the wake for his cousin when he smashed a glass into Syed Jawad Hyder’s head outside the Gardener’s Arms pub in Clapham on June 27 last year.

My Hyder, 38, was left unconscious and bruised from the attack which happened after he confronted Mr Pratley about parking on double yellow lines - he has since made a full recovery.

The 24-year-old told police that he thought the warden was "not very respectful" and admitted punching him, but denied smashing the glass.

The defendant’s brother, Lee Jones, also of Tooting, was accused of attacking Mr Hyder with his motorcycle helmet but was found not guilty by jurors.

Jones had told officers that he saw Pratley "in trouble" and went over to pull him away from the fight.

The 23-year-old said he used his leg to push the warden away, but claimed he accidentally dropped the motorcycle helmet and it did not touch Mr Hyder.

Pratley will be sentenced on September 8 at Kingston Crown Court.