Man knocked unconscious by silent thug who floored him with one punch

A Blackpool man had ‘blood pouring from his head’ after being punched to the ground by a silent thug.
By The Newsroom
Published 9th Oct 2019, 16:59 BST
David Fennell was walking home with partner Paul Leighton when he was knocked unconscious in an unprovoked attack on Central DriveDavid Fennell was walking home with partner Paul Leighton when he was knocked unconscious in an unprovoked attack on Central Drive
David Fennell was walking home with partner Paul Leighton when he was knocked unconscious in an unprovoked attack on Central Drive

David Fennell, 43, was walking home with his partner Paul Leighton, 37,in the early hours of Sunday after a night out when the pair were approached by a stranger who, without a single word, hit David in the face.

He fell over, unconscious, and hit his head on the pavement, causing a concussion.

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Paul said: “Out of nowhere a male came past us and brutally punched my partner to the face. He didn’t even speak. He didn’t say anything. He just came up to us and punched him. It was 
so quick.

David Fennell was walking home with partner Paul Leighton when he was knocked unconscious in an unprovoked attack on Central DriveDavid Fennell was walking home with partner Paul Leighton when he was knocked unconscious in an unprovoked attack on Central Drive
David Fennell was walking home with partner Paul Leighton when he was knocked unconscious in an unprovoked attack on Central Drive

“All I could see was my partner on the floor, pouring with blood.”

The attack took place in Central Drive at around 4am on Sunday. The culprit was described as a short white male, a little over 5ft tall, with a bald head.

David and Paul were helped by two passing police officers. who walked them back to their nearby Park Road home.

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David, a carer, was taken from there by ambulance to Blackpool Victoria Hospital, where he had a brain scan and was discharged the next day.

Paul said: “David is such a passive guy and doesn’t upset anyone. I want the person brought to justice because it was a completely unprovoked, violent attack and there was no need for it.

“I’m still shaken. I can’t stop seeing him lying on the floor with blood pouring from 
his head.

“Luckily there was no bleeding on the brain, but he’s been left with a severe concussion and he has not been well since. It’s left him scared and petrified.

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“The police have informed us they have some grainy CCTV images that they are looking at at the moment. We’re hoping that they will show something.

“We don’t want anyone else to go through what we went through on that road.”

The North West Ambulance Service said: “We were called by a passer-by to reports of an assault at 4.30am and attended with an ambulance and rapid response vehicle, but by the time we arrived the patient had 
left the scene.

“We were called at 5.09am to an address on Park Road. We sent one ambulance and took one patient to hospital.”

Did you witness the incident? Call police on 101.