Disabled man ‘brutally and viciously’ attacked by two men who lured him to meeting outside chip shop

A disabled man was left with facial injuries after he was assaulted by two men who lured him to a meeting before attacking him outside of a chip shop.

Johnathan Morris, 27, thought he was meeting a friend when he was “brutally and viciously” attacked and left bloodied with a fractured cheek bone.

The assault lasted five minutes where he was punched in the face, kicked and then stamped on repeatedly while lying on the ground.

The incident was captured on CCTV outside the Olympus fish and chip shop on Great Moor Street, in Bolton, at around 10pm on Aug 1.

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Johnathan then crawled to safety where a bus driver eventually stopped to help him before calling the police.

The community has since been rallying around the victim, including his beloved Bolton Wanderers where he regularly attends matches dressed as the club mascot Lofty the Lion.

‘He doesn’t want to leave the house’

But Johnathan’s sister-in-law Sasha Hamilton, 28, said she was left traumatised after seeing his bloodied face while he was screaming and shouting in agony.

She said the “disgusting thugs” robbed Johnathan of the trust and independence he had worked so hard to gain over the years, and he is now too afraid to leave the house.

Sasha, from Bolton, said: “I am beyond disgusted, I feel sick and I feel angry that they put him through so much pain.

“It was so traumatic to see him so bloody and in so much pain.

“He was so agitated after the attack, he was screaming and shouting.

“It’s so heart-breaking because it took us so many years to make him feel confident and become independent.

“He’s lost all the trust and he’s been robbed of it.

“Now he doesn’t want to leave the house because he’s so scared.”

Sasha claims Johnathan had a disagreement with the unnamed friend during a night out at the pub a couple nights before the assault.

She said that the friend rang Johnathan to meet outside the chip shop.

Following the attack Johnathan was rushed to hospital where x-rays revealed that he had suffered a fractured cheek bone, swollen eye and a severe concussion.

Sasha added: “Johnathan was on the floor and he was kicked repeatedly.

“It was brutal and disgusting.”

‘He’s the kindest man I know’

Sasha, who is Johnathan’s appointed adult, said she hopes he can feel safe again as he is the ‘kindest man’ she knows.

The mum-of-three said: “I can’t understand why they would target him, he doesn’t deserve this. He’s the kindest man I know.

“As a family we just need to stay strong for him. We want to help him and make him feel safe again and confident enough to regain his independence.”

The Bolton Wanderers supporter has received overwhelming support from the community, and has been handed season tickets to watch the League 1 outfit play.

Sasha said: "We just want to thank everyone who has come forward to support us, we appreciate everything."

Greater Manchester Police have been approached for comment.

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