Concrete yob still at large as police step up manhunt
A THUG who attacked a gardener and left him needing 15 stitches to his head remains at large despite police efforts to track him down.
Victim Gavin Pritchard was hit four times with a lump of concrete in an apparent ambush outside Neath Library.
Police appealed for information following the assault, which occurred at around 12.45pm on Monday, September 17.
Mr Pritchard, a 32-year-old landscape gardener from Tonmawr, spoke out in support of the appeal.
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But despite their combined efforts the culprit has not been found and now a new appeal for information has been made.
A police spokesman said: "This was an unprovoked attack that happened in the town centre in the middle of the day.
"It is very likely someone will either have witnessed the assault or saw the suspect before or after it. Unfortunately, we have not been able to trace the person responsible and would again ask anyone who has any information to come forward."
Speaking shortly after the attack, Mr Pritchard explained he had been walking to the library with a friend who was on medication following an injury, and had jokingly referred to him as a junkie. But a passer-by thought the remark was aimed at him.
"I tried to explain I was talking to my friend and it was a joke but he wasn't having it," said Mr Pritchard.
"We carried on walking and I didn't think any more of it. We came out of the library about an hour later and crossed to the other side of the road.
"There was a bus parked and as we walked past the back of it I was hit four times with a lump of concrete, and the next thing I remember I was running away.
"I looked back and my friend was rolling around on the floor with him, trying to take the lump of concrete off him.
"The man ran off. My friend ran after him but couldn't catch up with him."
Mr Pritchard said the man must have been lying in wait outside the library for nearly an hour after their earlier exchange of words.
Despite receiving more than a dozen stitches to his head he said he would have to return to work quickly as, being self-employed, he would not be paid if he didn't.
The spokesman added: "The only description we have of the suspect is that he was white and wore a distinctive lime-green hooded top."
Anyone who can help should call police on 101 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555111.
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