Detectives hunt attacker who left victim with 'physical and emotional scars'
21 July 2020, 09:14
Police are seeking a man in connection with a " violent, unprovoked, racially motivated attack" by 20 people which left the victim seriously impacted.
Detectives have released an image of a man they want to speak to in connection with a racially motivated attack in Dagenham where the victim was seriously assaulted by a group of around 20 men.
Officers rushed to Bragg Close, Dagenham, at around 9.30pm on Sunday, 21 July 2019 after they received reports a man had been attacked and slashed in the face.
Scotland Yard said the victim, a black man aged in his 30s, had parked his car in Bragg Close and walked to a nearby takeaway.
When the victim returned to his vehicle and started to drive off noticed a dark coloured car with two young white men inside who started to shout racial abuse at him.
Officers said the victim confronted them before about 20 more white males turned-up on foot and surrounded him.
They started to kick and punch him while he lay defenceless on the floor. One man slashed the victim in the face, with what officers suspect was a knife.
The victim managed to escape his attackers and called 999 but the suspects then started to damage the victim's car.
One of the men got into the driver’s seat and drove the car into some shutters of nearby premises, causing further damage. A laptop and tablet were also reported stolen from inside the vehicle.
The group in question were believed to have been drinking in the nearby Roundhouse pub, in Lodge Avenue.
Now Daggenham detectives want to speak to a man described as a white male, between 20 to 30 years old, of chubby build and approximately 5ft6ins to 5ft7ins in height.
Detective Constable Adelaide Halliday, who is leading the manhunt, said: “This was a violent, unprovoked, racially motivated attack on the victim, which has not only left him with a physical scar but emotional ones too.
“I would appeal for anyone who can identify or knows the man in the image to contact police as soon as possible. I would also ask for anyone that may have been drinking in the nearby Roundhouse pub that evening, Sunday, 21 July 2019, who are aware of this incident to contact police. If you would prefer not to speak to the police, you can also contact Crimestoppers anonymously.”
Anyone with information about the man in the image or about the incident itself is asked to contact police on 101 quoting CAD 8064/21JUL2019.
