A Worcester pub landlord has been cleared of a crowbar attack on a man he barred two years ago after a row over the price of a pint.

Paul Shenton, licensee of the Eagle Vaults in Friar Street, was picked out on a police identity parade by Edward Rogers and accused of being his midnight assailant.

But defence counsel David Iles described Mr Rogers at Worcester Crown Court as "a tortured soul with an axe to grind".

He claimed Mr Rogers was humiliated by being barred and sought revenge by making a false accusation.

The jury unanimously cleared Mr Shenton, aged 28, of wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm and an alternative charge of unlawful wounding. They retired for just over an hour.

Mr Rogers gave evidence that he was walking past the pub on April when he saw the defendant clearing away tables and chairs outside.

He alleged that Mr Shenton stared at him, then followed him into Park Street and hit him twice over the head with a crowbar. He needed hospital treatment for a puncture wound.

Mr Shenton insisted he bore no grudge against him and on the night he got hurt had moved his car before going to the Chicago Rock Caf in the city until 1am.

He told the jury that on May 25, Mr Rogers came into his pub, hurled abuse and upset customers.

Because it was a condition of his bail not to approach Mr Rogers, he phoned police and told them his former customer was drunk and refused to leave.

Electrical technician Richard Parnell described how Mr Rogers came into the premises three times, took a swing at the landlord but missed.

Mr Parnell alleged he was punched in the stomach before he managed to push Mr Rogers out of the door.

Prosecutor Adam Western said there was bad blood between the the defendant and Mr Rogers who "wound up" the licensee and provoked the ensuing violence.

But Mr Iles said Mr Shenton was a hard-working man who had never been in trouble and would not jeopardise his licence by committing crime.

He had been prosecuted on the bare minimum of evidence from a man whose mind had festered after his ban.

The police never found a crowbar and Mr Rogers told them his attacker wore thick glasses. Mr Shenton wore thin spectacles.