Colwyn Bay postman attacked by teen gang
A POSTMAN was battered by a gang of teen thugs after he confronted a hoodie who stood in front of his car as he drove to work.
A POSTMAN was battered by a gang of teen thugs after he confronted a hoodie who stood in front of his car as he drove to work.
Ex-paratrooper Mark Love was left in hospital after the gang of eight repeatedly kicked and punched him in a frenzied attack, and stole his car keys.
When the dad-of-three broke away the youths chased him down a street to continue the brutal attack before one yob climbed a 6ft wall and tried to smash a plant pot on his head.
The 51-year-old former trooper escaped by running to a nearby petrol station, in Colwyn Bay.
He was treated at Ysbyty Glan Clwyd for a broken nose, injured eye and severe bruising on his right leg, which has left him barely able to walk.
The attack, on Nant y Glyn Avenue, comes just weeks after the widow of teen-mob murder victim Garry Newlove went on the beat in Colwyn Bay to learn how police were cracking down on underage drinkers on the streets.
Mr Newlove, 47, died two days after being “kicked like a football” when he confronted a gang in Warrington in August 2007.
Speaking from his Colwyn Bay home after being discharged from hospital Mr Love described the attack: “There was a hooded youth in the middle of the road.
“I couldn’t get past, I was gesturing for him to get out the road but he was just standing there with his arms stretched open.”
Mr Love got out of his car and told him to move but the youth came straight for Mr Love, forcing him to grab his chest to hold the teen away.
He said: “Then from nowhere this gang descended, they were aged between 15 and 20, they were saying you don’t mess with their ‘posse’ and they surrounded me and started kicking and punching.
“It was such a shock I just knew I had to stay on my feet. I managed to break free from the group and ran down the road in the direction of the Park pub.
“At least five of them chased me and caught me near the pub. They carried on the attack. One of them climbed on a high garden wall, holding a large plant pot with a conifer in it.
“Some of them were urging him to throw it, saying ‘smash it on his head’. He threw it and it just missed. If it had hit me it could have killed me.”
He managed to reach the service station on Abergele Road, after the youths got his car keys off him. He said: “I looked in the window of the garage and I was covered in blood.”
Mr Love, who served in Northern Ireland with the 9th Paratrooper regiment, was leaving for work at 6am on Saturday when he drove up to the junction opposite Nant y Glyn church.
“If the victim of this assault had not been as able and physically large as me, they could have been killed,” he added.
“The way they set upon me was so sudden it was like a blur, you can expect trouble on a night out but not on your way to work in the morning.
“I am shocked by the attack, the whole community is, they are worried it could have been them or they could be next with this gang on the loose.”
North Wales Police are investigating the incident.
One person has been arrested and released on police bail. Officers are appealing for witnesses. Call 0845 607 1001 (Welsh language) or 0845 6071002 (English language).
welshnews
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