Disabled RAF veteran punched and stamped in "cowardly" and unprovoked attack

A RAF veteran was knocked out of his mobility scooter and then punched and stamped on in a "cowardly" unprovoked attack.

Richard Sandon in a hospital bedPA / ALAMY

RAF veteran Richard Sandon was punched out of his mobility scooter in a "cowardly" attack

Disabled Richard Sandon, 52, was left in a serious condition after his dog accidentally tripped over a man walking towards them.

Mr Sandon, who spent 17 years in the RAF, apologised to the attacker but was punched in the face and knocked out of his mobility scooter.

The man then punched and stamped on the disabled man as he lay on the ground and also kicked the victim's dog - who was luckily not seriously hurt.

Mr Sandon: "I cannot understand what sort of person would attack me and my dog Blue in this way.

"I am a disabled man who is obviously unable to defend myself.

"Blue is deaf and wears a high-visibility coat which states this. Neither of us were a threat to this man. I hope he is caught so he cannot do this to anyone else."

Mr Sandon was treated for a broken arm, fractured ribs, bruised kidneys and was left with various bruises around his face and body after the attack on Friday.

Cambridgeshire Police released a picture of the RAF veteran in his hospital bed with his arm in a cast after the incident in Peterborough.

It happened after the attacker was accidentally tripped over by the lead of Mr Sandon's pet dog, a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel named Blue.

Richard Sandon in his hospital bedPA

Richard Sandon retired after 17 years in the RAF after he was shot in the leg

I am a disabled man who is obviously unable to defend mysel

Richard Sandon

A passer-by called emergency services after finding Mr Sandon who was taken to Peterborough City Hospital and remains there today.

The victim retired from the RAF after being shot in the leg while in South America. 

Detective Constable Vicky Speirs said: "Mr Sandon tried to explain that his dog was deaf while apologising but the man launched a vicious and cowardly attack.

"It was an appalling and unprovoked assault on a victim who couldn't defend himself.

"I'm confident there would have been others using the footpath at the time and may have seen this man."

The attacker, who made off after the incident, was described as wearing a peaked black beanie hat with a red, yellow and green band around it.

He was black, slim, about 6ft 2in, in his late 20s or early 30s, and wearing a military-style green khaki three-quarter-length jacket, jeans and white boot-type trainers.

• Anyone with information should call Detective Constable Speirs on 101 or Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555111

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