Former Black Country Tory press officer ‘rugby-tackled’ ex-partner in beer garden attack

Charges of ABH and witness intimidation have been dropped against Wolverhampton-born David Kuczora.

Birmingham Crown Court heard the serious charges against Kuczora stemmed from a drunken tussle.

Prosecutor Mark Phillips said: "These two gentleman had been on a heavy-drinking spree before this incident. Alcohol plays a major part."

A trial set for October 2023 has been scrapped after the 38-year-old pleaded guilty to a lesser charge of battery and the Crown Prosecution Service dropped the charge of assault occasioning actual bodily harm and witness intimidation.

CCTV footage of the pair chasing each other around the empty beer garden on March 27 was shown to the court before Kuczora rugby tackled the victim.

Mr Phillips said despite footage showing Kuczora's arms flailing there were no corresponding injuries on the victim and accepted the admission of battery after Kuczora also pleaded not guilty to assault by beating.

Kuczora, who lives in Reddicap Hill Road, Sutton Coldfield, worked for the Conservative Party during their 2015 election victory.

He organised then Chancellor George Osborne's visit to the Glass Museum in Stourbridge and also dealt with the fall out from Tory Dudley North candidate Afzal Amin's calamitous plan to team up with the BNP to win the seat in which led to him being deselected.

The PR man also worked on Andy Street's successful West Midlands Mayoral campaigns and helped get compensation for British special branch torture victims in 1950s Cyprus. He also worked as a columnist for the Birmingham Mail and the Birmingham Post.

Defending, Tom Walkling said the incident was down to "a toxic relationship" and as Kuczora had already spent a night in custody and five weeks on electronic tag adhering to a 7pm to 7am curfew.

He said: "My client already has served a not insubstantial punishment. Perhaps a conditional discharge would be an understandable course of action."

However, Judge Andrew Smith KC adjourned sentencing until February 15 so a pre-sentence report could be compiled on Kuczora, who has previous convictions for battery, was the subject of a domestic violence protection order and had breached a former conditional discharge for drunken and disorderly behaviour.

The judge said: "The court may consider another form of order which might prevent further offending. Mr Kuczora has a problem with alcohol, even in the character material it is bluntly put by one testimonial bluntly he has a problem with alcohol."

Kuczora had his curfew lifted and was granted bail with conditions not to contact the victim.

He told the Express & Star after the hearing: "It was a drunken tiff which got out of hand but should never have got to the stage of a trial being set for ABH and witness intimidation which would have been a massive waste of taxpayers' money as well as wasting police time.

"I made a stupid mistake and regret it. I will respect and adhere to any sentence the judge gives."