Grandfather beaten to the ground by youths as he walked home in Leicester
A grandfather was beaten to the ground by a group of young men who had asked him for a cigarette.
Tom Carnegie, 74, was attacked by four or five men in Belgrave, Leicester, on Good Friday as he walked home from visiting his son.
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Tom Carnegie, 74, was attacked by four or five men in Belgrave, Leicester
Recovering at home yesterday, the retired hosiery worker and merchant seaman said: "I don't know why they did it. This is not the world I grew up in.
"It was a lovely evening and I'd been to see my son and his girlfriend.
"I left them, as I always do, at about 11pm. Everything seemed fine.
"On the way home, I saw this group and just assumed they were locals. They asked me for a cigarette and I said, 'of course', because I'm a bit of a softie.
"I don't really remember what happened next, but they just started hitting me.
"I tried to cover my face and head with my arms, but they got some blows in. I've got bruises all over.
"While I was down they went into my pocket and took my cigarette case and my wallet.
"I had £40 or £50 in it because I'd got my pension the day before."
Police have branded the attack, in Payne Street, off Checketts Road, as "callous".
They have urged the public to help them catch the gang.
"Hopefully, they will be caught before they do this to someone else," said Mr Carnegie, a Londoner who moved to Leicester about 20 years ago.
"I will get over this," he said. "I've got a good family around me and a lot of good friends. The wounds are healing, although I'm still a bit stiff."
An elderly Asian couple found Mr Carnegie in the street and helped him home.
Officers want to trace them as they believe they may be able to help identify his attackers.
John Boyce, of Age Concern in Leicester, said: "While crimes like this are rare, if they become more common we would be diminished as a society. The biggest concern in cases like this is that the victim can lose all confidence and ability to go out again."
The attackers were Asian, aged about 20 and all about 5ft 10in. They were all wearing black.
Detective Constable Sarah Poppleton said: "This was a nasty attack on an elderly man who was minding his own business. The people who have committed this callous crime need to be caught and we would appeal to the public to help us identify those responsible."
Anyone with information is asked to call Det Con Poppleton on 0116 222 2222, or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.
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by Shirley-ann, Leicestershire
Thursday, April 28 2011, 11:05PM
“I have known Tom for about 18 years & he is one of the nicest,kindest men you could ever meet,he would give you his last pound !! It is so sad that these crimes are going on,I was brought up on St Marks,Belgrave then moved to Martin street,Belgrave where last week a man was stabbed I have lived in Belgrave for 37 years & then moved out of the city as I lost my dad & had to accomadate for my mum,all in all I wish both men a speedy recovery !!!”
by Thoreau, Leicester
Thursday, April 28 2011, 8:56PM
“I see casual racism every so often in Belgrave. But only once in two years have I seen racism towards a white person (which was me). have seen numerous examples from white people living in Belgrave or close by. Given that there are very few white people in Belgrave and a significant minority of them are profoundly dysfunctional and anti-social I often marvel at how fair asian people are towards me. People who get troublemakers in their shops are still going to the trouble to treat everyone as an individual.
The problem is partly caused by social housing policies and attempts to mix people up. Unfortunately problem families, who have made too many enemies in one estate, get rotated through some of the social housing in Belgrave.
The two homeless hostels on Loughborough Road really do not help things at all and I often cringe when I pass by as the troublemakers are mostly white. A friend stayed in the Comfort Hotel on Loughborough Road and realised instantly that the building next door was a hostel. They had a sleepless night as gangs of men came and went, bottles were thrown, arguments broke out and people attempted to force the door and were threatening to kill a hostel resident.
Other people's problems get quietly dumped in Belgrave because the locals don't tend to realise what is going. Weird how the probation service have a huge branch on the corner of Dysrat Way and Humberstone Road yet virtually nobody can tell you what the large building with the artwork outside is. It looks innocous enough and has no sign outside.
Virtually all of the trouble in Belgrave is caused by white people from outside of the area who have been dumped there by government agencies. It is a regular sight to see people trundle up Belgrave Road to a hostel on Loughborough Road with their entire life in a black bin bag having just left Leicester Prison. They amble about for 2 weeks and then are replaced by another face. Most don't make trouble, many have profound problems and some are serial offenders and, frankly, dangerous.
I realise these facilities are sorely needed and nobody wants to live next to them but they're far too densely concentrated in one place. The cynic in me thinks this was opportunism at play because the locals simply don't understand what is being quietly moved into their neighbourhood.
Funny how none of these hotspots of trouble is in Stoneygate though.”
by Lady of the House, Planet Earth
Thursday, April 28 2011, 8:31PM
“It doesn't matter one iota what race, colour or creed these people are, they are the scum of the earth to attack a man like this.”
by a n other, leicester
Thursday, April 28 2011, 6:53PM
“persons that do this sort of thing are simply just nasty people,whatever the case.”
by Graham, Whetstone
Thursday, April 28 2011, 6:53PM
“This incident may have involved people from different racial types, but that doesn't mean it was racist any more than it was 'ageist' because they were from different generations...
But, like the report yesterday regarding the Eco house employee being harassed, this is all down to a general lack of respect and sense of decency - these feral youths know that as long as there's little evidence, and no witnesses, there will be no consequence (should they get caught) beyond a slap on the wrist.
The power of society to admonish wrongdoers has been eroded so much that they have no fear of authority, be it parental, in the education system, the judicial system or society at all... they'll carry on doing as they please "for a laff" and there's nothing or no-one to stop them.
And it's not down to lack of facilities, poverty, disenfranchisement, or any of that nonsense, it's just that they have no innate responsibility to anyone or anything, pure and simple...”