A GRANDFATHER has expressed his shock and anger after his five-year-old autistic grandson was pushed into a hedge by an elderly man while walking along Manvers Street in Trowbridge.

Steven Barnett, from Trowbridge, had been out in the town centre with his grandson Danny, who he cares for with his wife, on July 11 when the incident took place near the bus stop between 11.25-11.35am.

He said that an elderly couple were walking behind them when the woman said “excuse me” at which point Mr Barnett went to move Danny out of the way for them to pass by, but as he did so the man grabbed his grandson by the neck and threw him into a hedge.

Mr Barnett admits he shouted and swore at the couple and as he went to followed them in to the nearby car park, he was confronted by another member of the public who asked him to stop shouting at the couple. 

“Danny was eating a cake that we had bought from Greggs and when the lady asked to get past from behind I moved him across, but then a man’s hand came down on his neck and pushed him out of the way into a hedge,” said Mr Barnett.

“I gave them a barrel of abuse as I think anyone else would have done if someone like that had happened to one of their children. They didn’t apologise or anything, just carried on without looking around.

“It was just impatience to get past, but I dread to think what could of happened if Danny was the other side of me as he could have pushed him into the road. Luckily, I always keep him on the inside.

“A lady, who I think was coming out of Sainsbury’s told me to stop shouting at them as they were an old couple, but she hadn’t seen what he had just done to my grandson. To do something like that to a child is disgraceful.”

Mr Barnett said he lost the couple when they crossed the road and after the incident he discovered that Danny has suffered some marks to his skin and neck pain.

He describes the man as around 6ft, about 16 stone, and said he was wearing grey trousers and a white and blue shirt, with the buttons undone.

Mr Barnett added: “It has certainly had an effect on Danny. He is much more aware when we go out and holds my hand even tighter than before.”

A Wiltshire Police spokesman said: “We would like to hear from anyone who may have seen or heard what happened in this area around these times. 

“This is a busy part of the town, close to The Shires Shopping Centre, so we are hoping someone can help us with our enquiries.

“If you can, please call us on 101 and asked for PC Steve Drage or contact Crimestoppers, where you can leave information anonymously, on 0800 555 111.”