Autistic man punched in face in unprovoked Doncaster town centre attack

An autistic man with mental health issues says he was punched in the face in an unprovoked attack in Doncaster town centre.
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The man, who has asked not to be named, was attacked near to the Elephant and Castle restaurant in the Frenchgate Centre on Bonfire Night – and has come forward to speak of his ordeal as he says police have not issued details of the incident.

He says he was ‘minding his own business’ when two men approached him in the early morning incident.

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He said: “I was looking at the menu when these two men walked past, sighing at me as if I was in their way.

Police have been investigating the incident at the Frenchgate Centre.Police have been investigating the incident at the Frenchgate Centre.
Police have been investigating the incident at the Frenchgate Centre.

"Then they just start abusing me and calling me a f****** p****. One of them just started hitting me in the face, he hit me three times.”

By the time security and police had arrived, the two men had fled, he said.

He added: “I ended up with a black eye and my cheekbone is still hurting. There must be some CCTV of the people who did it or someone who saw it.

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"I would have though the police would have put something out by now but they haven’t.”

A spokesman for South Yorkshire Police said: “We were informed by a member of the public that they had allegedly been assaulted outside the Frenchgate Shopping Centre in Doncaster at about 11.50am on Friday 5 November.

“The suspect was said to be a white man aged possibly in his 20s with a scruffy beard and brown hair, who was wearing grey. There was another man with the suspect and he was also wearing grey.

“Officers have conducted their enquiries.

"But if anyone has any information about the incident, has CCTV which may have caught it or who witnessed it themselves, they are asked to contact the police on 101, or via the online portal, quoting incident number 337 of 5 November.

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Alternatively, information can be given to the independent charity Crimestoppers anonymously by calling 0800 555 111.

A spokesman for the Frenchgate Centre said that as the matter was being dealt with by the police, they were unable to comment on the matter.

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