Homeless man attacked in broad daylight (From The Wiltshire Gazette and Herald)

Homeless man attacked in broad daylight

8:13am Wednesday 21st February 2007 in Swindon By Gazette Reporter

A homeless man was taken to hospital after a daytime attack that police have described as vicious and prolonged.

A gang is believed to have repeatedly stamped on the man's head, chest and stomach in the assault in Swindon town centre at 11am yesterday.

Police say the 45-year-old is unrecognisable due to the bruising and is due to have X-rays on his face.

The assault happened at the back of the Casbah bar, in John Street, an area that is usually busy with shoppers.

PC Sally Davis said: "When we arrived no one was around to give their details.

"There was someone who was concerned enough to call the ambulance service but they haven't left their details and we would like to speak to them."

"A lot of these attacks on homeless people are unprovoked."

Wendy Thake

Police will today begin studying CCTV footage from the area.

PC Davis said: "You would think someone had seen something.

"The man was viciously assaulted and he's got some horrible swelling to his face. He is almost unrecognisable.

"The paramedics thought his shoulder was broken and we are waiting for X-rays on his face because they think he has a couple of broken bones."

Police say it is possible a weapon was used to batter the victim.

"Paramedics believe he was stamped on the head over and over again to receive injuries like that," PC Davis said.

"I don't think for one minute it was one whack and then they ran off. The extent of the injuries suggests the attack was carried on at length, it was quite prolonged."

Nothing was taken from the man during the assault and PC Davis said they could not rule out the notion that the man was targeted because he is homeless.

"Whether they are preying on the vulnerability of these people I don't know," she said.

"Whether it's an ongoing argument that has resulted in this incident we cannot say.

"Homeless people have little spats between them but this is certainly the most violent we have seen."

Wendy Thake, a project worker at Davis House, which caters for homeless people, said it would be disgusting if the man was targeted because he was homeless.

"It's awful," she said. "People who are homeless are often in that position through no fault of their own.

"Homeless people are the most vulnerable people in society. I am quite shocked that somebody could be attacked for being homeless and probably not doing anything at all.

"A lot of these attacks on homeless people are unprovoked."

John Phipps, from Voluntary Action Swindon, which is just yards from where the assault happened, said: "I was in and I saw two ambulances go past the window.

"It's shocking because it's quite busy here, it's not exactly a hidden away place.

"I'm surprised because you get action' if that's what you want to call it, on a Friday or Saturday night with all the pubs but you don't expect it on a Tuesday morning."

Anyone with information should call Swindon police on 0845 408 7000 or Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555111.