Thursday, 22 January 2009 - 9:55am |
Canterbury

Disabled man harassed

1 min read

A man was harassed about his disabilities outside Ballantynes on Colombo Street last Saturday.

Between 10:30am and 11:30am on 17 January the man was waiting for the Number 15 Bus on the corner of Cashel and Colombo Street.

He reports he was approached by three males who harassed him about his disabilities.

One of the males allegedly punched him in the face knocking him to the ground. He stood back up and walked around the corner into Cashel Mall to make a phone call for help. The males followed him and continued the verbal abuse.

Unable to make the call he returned to the bus stop but was followed again by the males. Once at the bus stop he was pushed by one of the group and again ended up on the ground.

A member of the public, possibly female, yelled out to the offenders to stop at which point they ran off north on Colombo Street. A male member of the public then assisted him and helped clean blood from his cane.

The victim suffers from intellectual disability and is almost totally blind. He walks with a bob as a result of having a stroke as a child.

Police would like to speak to the members of the public who assisted him on the day and any other witness who may hold information as to the identity of the offenders.

Any information please to Constable Aaron Campbell, Beat Section, phone 363 7400.