A GOOD samaritan was left with a mouth injury after stepping in to stop a Stourbridge thug attacking a schoolboy.

Wolverhampton Crown Court heard Iain Scott was hit in the mouth with a metal newspaper board by 24-year-old Kieran Taplin.

Christopher O'Gorman, prosecuting, said Taplin punched the 15-year-old twice to the face and head after accusing him of staring at him in an earlier incident.

The boy was walking away from the scene and was calling his father on his mobile phone when Taplin, who was with two other men, ran towards him.

Mr O'Gorman added Mr Scott saw the boy run in front of his car and he stopped to give assistance as he told Taplin to "leave the boy alone."

The schoolboy's father then arrived on the scene and he was involved in a confrontation with Taplin before Mr Scott moved in to separate the two men.

Taplin then picked up the newspaper board from outside a shop and hurled it at a car but missed and it struck Mr Scott in the mouth.

Taplin, of Union Street, admitted assaulting Mr Scott causing him actual bodily harm, common assault on the boy and criminal damage having kicked out at a car causing a dent to the bodywork.

Judge Nicholas Webb remanded Taplin in custody until Friday October 26 for the court to get full details of the injuries suffered by Mr Scott.