Pensioner assaulted on mobility scooter

News Archive > General > Pensioner assaulted on mobility scooter

Sarah Morcom09/05/2012

SHOPPERS looked on in horror  as an irate man pushed an elderly woman out of her mobility scooter in Newquay town centre on Saturday lunchtime.

The 31-year-old visitor from the Leicestershire area pushed the Newquay resident from her scooter and onto the concrete in Bank Street.

Eyewitnesses say he was in a state of “rage” and stormed over to the woman after she had knocked down his young son. The small child was playing in Bank Street when he ran in front of the scooter at around 12 noon.

Members of the public rushed over to help the woman and Newquay police officers arrived on the scene to take statements from the many onlookers. Paramedics were also called to provide assistance to the woman.

Police officers interviewed the man as part of their investigation into the alleged assault, and confirmed he had  been “helping police with their inquiries”.

It is believed the small boy and elderly woman escaped injury. Police say the man was interviewed at the station  next day and was “very remorseful” for his actions. They stressed they did not want to see such an incident repeated in Newquay.

The man was not charged.

A Newquay resident, who witnessed the incident, said: “I heard the boy’s mother scream so I turned around to see a man charging towards an elderly woman. He was in a rage and shouted something as he pushed over her scooter with her in it, smashing her face and body into the concrete.

“The public ran over to help the woman but she was unable to move – I think she was injured and in shock. The police arrived to take statements and paramedics came for the old lady.

“I didn’t see what happened after that but I think she was okay, and also the little boy. I understand that this could have been a kneejerk reaction to protect his child, but this was obviously an accident – the man attacking the old lady was well out of order. What would he have done if a car hit his child? Killed the driver? I hope he gets the full force of the law for his violent actions. I have worked in elderly people’s homes before and the thing is with elderly people the shock can be delayed.

“I hope she is in hospital where they can keep an eye on her. This could have been anyone’s grandmother.”

Sgt Bob Murray said: “The man’s child was playing and running around in Bank Street and ran in front of the lady’s mobility scooter.

“He reacted in the way that he did thinking he was getting his child from under the carriage – that was his panic at that time.

“He bitterly regrets what he did which was a spur of the moment reaction. He recognises that if he had the time over again he certainly wouldn’t have acted in that way.

“He was very remorseful and he didn’t make any attempt to run away after the incident had happened. Behaviour like this however is not acceptable and not something we would like to see repeated again in Newquay.”