‘Someone else is going to die’ says victim of latest attack in Portadown

This is one of a number of attacks in Portadown over recent months, including that of Jake Bailey Sloan who was killed in October.

The 26-year-old victim described the one-punch attack on himself as ‘terrifying’.

The Portadown manwas out with friends at a Christmas party and making his way along Thomas St shortly after 2.30am on Sunday.

He spotted his dad and one of his dad’s friends. His dad started walking up the street and the victim and his dad’s friend followed.

“I was just walking up Thomas St and literally all of a sudden I saw a face at the side of my left eye. He was coming right at me and I turned round and I was hit really hard from the left hand side,” he said.

The victim said the police and ambulance were called and he was taken to hospital.

“Four police cars came round the corner in minutes and I was covered in blood. They started asking me questions.

The young man said his face is so badly swollen the hospital has to wait until the swelling goes down before they can take a scan and see the full extent of the damage.

“At the minute I am now facing surgery. My nose is fragmented in more than 10 pieces and the cartilidge is fractured.

“I have three open wounds on the top of my nose. It looks as if I have been hit by a ring or something because it is quite nasty looking where they punched me,” he revealed.

He said: “After the attack I don’t know if I was knocked out or what happened. I just remember seeing the pizza place and then people were just staring at me because I was covered in blood.”

He then rang police and told them he was assaulted.

“Mentally I am tearing myself apart about it. I keep asking myself, what have I done to this guy. I don’t know him and he just came up and hit me. I am not a heavy drinker and I remember the entire night. It was a brilliant night out. But then just walking up the road for this to happen. What the hell have I done to this fella. I don’t even know him, he doesn’t know me. That’s the worst part about it.”

The victim said he is concerned that despite telling the police everything noone has yet been arrested.

He has had to take off sick from work because of what happened and the state he is in.

“This has become far too common in the town centre and something more should be done to stop all these attacks.

“These attacks can tear up people mentally and affect affect entire families.

“If something isn’t done, someone else is going to end up dead.”

A PSNI spokesperson said; “Police received a report shortly before 3am on Sunday 12th December that a man had been assaulted in the Thomas Street area of Portadown.

“The man, aged in his 20s, who was taken to hospital for treatment to his injuries, which are not believed to be life threatening at this time.

“Enquiries are continuing and police would appeal to anyone who may have witnessed these incidents or have any information that could help with our enquiries, to contact us on 101 quoting reference number 382 of 12/12/21.

“A report can also be made using the online reporting form via www.psni.police.uk/makeareport. Alternatively, information can be provided to Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111 or online at www.crimestoppers-uk.org.”