Bristol pub landlord could lose eye after attack
A Bristol pub landlord may lose the sight of an eye after he was hit in the face with a missile thrown by an abusive teenager.
The object sliced Ricky Townsend's eyeball and he had to undergo a four-hour operation in a bid to save his sight.
-
Bristol pub landlord could lose eye after attack
Mr Townsend, 41, was in the bar chatting to friends when a teenager came into The Star pub in Frampton Cotterell at about 12.30am on Saturday asking for cigarettes.
Mr Townsend said: "I told him the cigarette machine was there. A friend of mine was sitting in front of the machine and the lad said: 'I'm not getting any cigarettes with that **** sitting under it'.
"I said 'that's not very nice' and he started swearing at me."
The situation quickly escalated with Mr Townsend's friend Kevin Reid stepping in to defend him.
Mr Townsend told the teenager – who was with a second youth – to leave but the lad challenged the men to a fight saying: 'I'll take you both on'.
The youths ran outside followed by Mr Reid who ran after them along Church Road.
Mr Townsend said: "I was chasing after Kev because I didn't want to see him get hurt. They threw a bottle at him and he went down.
"One of them threw something at me – I don't know what it was. I felt a thump. I was bit dazed and when I turned round they were kicking Kev on the floor.
"I couldn't do anything. I couldn't see anything out of my right eye. At the hospital they said my eye had been sliced in half. I had a four-hour operation on Saturday but the doctors are not promising anything. I can't see anything at the moment."
Mr Townsend said he had never experienced any trouble at the village pub which he has run with his wife Sue for the past four years.
Mrs Townsend, 54, said she was in the back bar collecting glasses when the incident happened.
She said: "I came back into the main bar and Kev was lying in the road.
"Ricky came in with blood pouring down from his eye. I was in shock. I ran up the road and a girl was there screaming."
It is understood that the incident followed a similar attack in Frampton Cotterell a few months ago when a young man suffered a severe eye injury.
Police have taken statements and collected evidence from the scene. Avon and Somerset police spokesman Steve Game said: "We are investigating a serious incident which occurred outside The Star public house in which one man suffered a severe eye injury and another was kicked and punched.
"We are appealing to anyone who saw the incident or who saw a group of teenagers arriving or leaving the pub to contact us."
Anyone with information is asked to ring 0845 4567000 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.
8 Comments
by Tom, Bristol
Friday, July 09 2010, 9:39PM
“i agree with Vic i think the landlord and Mr Reid was going to attack the youths and the youths retaliated with fear anyone would of done the same and YES if it was a threat why Wasn't the police contacted straight away if the landlord and Mr Reid got hold or the so say miscreants would of they attacked them or would they still ring the police question you need to ask, What was going through Ricky Townsend and Mr Reid's head whilst he was chasing the youths?.
Yes Vic if the landlord had stayed in his pub which if he wasn't then the pub was left unattended then he would still today have 2 eyes to look out of so who is to blame? Youths or the Landlord and Mr Reid?”
by lillian, F/C. Bristol
Wednesday, September 30 2009, 12:36PM
“I feel sorry for ricky. the pain he has to put up with. plus he has to under go more surgery because he has not got any sight. landlords shouldnt have to put up with this violence from these moron's. a decent bloke doing his job .we live in the village he's a really nice bloke. nice village drinking pub .(we dont want to lose it ) keep yor chin up mate all the best to you.”
by susan, bristol
Saturday, September 26 2009, 11:01AM
“tthese yobs should have asbo's on them . we dont want them in our village terroriseing us, this has allways been a safe little village. untill outsde yob's started coming in. why's that then ?? is it because they been driven out there own side of town ????its about time the law change to protect us from these gutless cowards. the trouble is they know know how to work the system .call this justice ????”
by Vic, Bristol
Wednesday, September 23 2009, 12:24AM
“This story leaves some questions unasked.
Why was the pub open at 12.30am on a Saturday?
Why did Kevin Reid chase the two teenagers? What was he going to do when he caught them?
If there was threatening behaviour as reported, why weren't the police called at that point rather than when violence happened?
Did the two pursuers take matters into their own hands?
I'm not saying the assailant/s were not to blame, but a different course of reaction could have seen a less violent conclusion.
There may be some plausible answers, or it could just be that the story was written to look like the trouble was all one-sided.
The landlord chased after Mr Reid because he didn't want to see him get hurt. If the landlord had stayed in his pub, he wouldn't have seen him get hurt.”
by Dee, Bristol
Tuesday, September 22 2009, 5:51PM
“Yobs again! I say we bring back Stocks. A good ol' public flogging would sort them out. That would make these cowards think twice about doing the vile things they do. Because thats all they are ... cowards! This country needs to do something drastic. There doesnt seem to be any deterrent. Its like well everybody can do what they like and then we'll sort it out ... let off, court fine/prison!!! ... If they had the threat of Stocks and a huge audience Im sure it would make this different race think twice about doing the things they do.
Best wishes to Ricky and we can only hope/wish him a speedy recovery.”
by Steve, North Bristol
Tuesday, September 22 2009, 1:16PM
“Bring back both!”
by Grahame P, Central Bristol
Tuesday, September 22 2009, 12:51PM
“I don't know about the birch.... I'd say bring back parental responsibility.”
by John, Bristol
Tuesday, September 22 2009, 12:00PM
“Bring back the birch!
Have we no more accurate description of the miscreants?”