Pensioner punched in face for removing mask to talk to his mother
19 October 2020, 14:12 | Updated: 19 October 2020, 14:14
Police are looking for a man who punched a pensioner in the face on a Blackpool tram after he took off his face mask to talk to his mother.
The "shocking" attack happened at around 8:30pm on 4 September close to Balmoral Road and Bond Street in the northwestern town.
When the victim, who is in his late 60s, removed his mask to talk to his mother, who is in her 90s and hard of hearing, a man came up behind him demanding that he put his face covering back on.
The attacker then punched the man in the face and left him with bruising around the eye.
Lancashire Police have released CCTV images of a man they want to speak with in relation to the incident.
APPEAL | Do you know who this man is? We want to speak to him after a man in his late 60s was assaulted on a tram nr Balmoral Road, Blackpool, after taking his face mask off to talk to his elderly mother. It happened around 8.30pm on Sept 4. Info? Call 101, log no 428 of Sept 5. pic.twitter.com/mGD0o0aXMZ
— Lancashire Police (@LancsPolice) October 19, 2020
He is described as being aged in his 30s, around 5ft 6in tall, of large build and wearing all black with a grey face mask.
The attacker also had a shaved head, but with dark hair, and was wearing glasses.
No arrest has been made and enquiries are ongoing.
Pc Laura Alves, of Blackpool Police, said: “This was a shocking attack on a man who was simply trying to speak to his mother who is hard of hearing.
"We urgently need to speak to the man in the CCTV still and I would ask that anyone who recognises him to contact police.
"Similarly, I would appeal to the man directly to contact us if you see this appeal.”
Anyone with information can call the police on 101, quoting log 0428 of 5 September 2020. Alternatively, you can confidentially call the independent charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555111.
