A man who kicked a roofer so hard he lost a testicle has been cleared of causing grievous bodily harm.

James Murray, 23, of Trinity Road, Halstead, walked free from court after telling a jury he had "unintentionally" inflicted the injury on Christopher Lillicrop.

He said: "It will live with me for the rest of my life."

The jury at Ipswich Crown Court also cleared Jordan Partridge, 25, of Juniper Close, of grievous bodily harm with intent, after he said his only action was to put an arm around Mr Lillicrop to defuse the situation.

The court heard how the incident took place in Kings Road, Halstead, early on July 14, 2013.

Mr Partridge said he had visited USA Fried Chicken where he heard Mr Lillicrop, 53, making derogatory comments about Mr Murray.

Mr Partridge said Mr Lillicrop had also had made comments to Mr Murray as they walked past The Bull hotel a week earlier.

Both men denied prosecution claims that they had left Scenarios, where they had been drinking, in search of Mr Lillicrop with the intention of beating him up.

Giving evidence, Mr Murray said as he and Mr Partridge passed Kings Road they heard Mr Lillicrop shouting and decided to ask why he had been making comments about him.

Mr Murray said Mr Lillicrop, who appeared to be drunk, tried to swing a punch but missed, and he struck back in self defence.

In the ensuing struggle, both he and Mr Lillicrop fell across the bonnet of a parked car opposite the EMD factory.

Mr Murray, who denied intentionally kicking Mr Lillicrop in the groin, said he never saw Mr Partridge punch or kick Mr Lillicrop.

Mr Lillicrop required eight stitches to a head wound and lost a testicle after the incident.

After the trial, he told the Gazette: “I’m not a nasty person, everyone who knows me knows I don’t go around starting trouble.

“I have just got to move on.

“There are lots of things that people sustain, I’m glad I have got the one testicle and I’ve still got my life.

“There is always someone worse off. Always.”