NHS worker scarred for life after car drove at him in 'racially aggravated' attack
Video report by ITV News Correspondent Ben Chapman
THE FOLLOWING REPORT CONTAINS A GRAPHIC IMAGE OF THE VICTIM'S INJURIES WHICH YOU MAY FIND UPSETTING
A 21-year-old NHS worker from Bristol has been scarred for life after a car was deliberately driven at him in what police are treating as a racially aggravated attack following his shift at the local hospital. The musician, student and part time NHS worker was walking to the bus stop after work at Southmead Hospital listening to Stormzy on his headphones and looking forward to football training when he was involved in the incident.
The man, who ITV News are referring to as K, said people came to help him as he lay bleeding on a wall. K, who raps under the name K-Dogg, said he knew straight away that something was wrong.
"There was obviously pain coming from my legs and stuff so I just knew then straightaway, that I was proper damaged, because I couldn't walk straight away and I was just bleeding from my head."
K sustained horrific injuries; his leg, nose and cheekbone were all broken, and his face so badly wounded he will be scarred for life.
"I've got a broken bone in one of my legs, my right leg. And, yeah, and obviously I've had my face and that." K was taken back to Southmead Hospital where he had just finished his shift where he underwent a four- hour operation.
"Only like when I got to the hospital and I was stitched up... I was told how long I was going to take to recover. "That's when I knew that it was proper serious because I thought they'd say after a week or so, I'm be doing alright but that's when the doctor told me it's going to take a minimum of six months."
A keen footballer and regular gym goer, doctors said K's fitness saved his life. "I got laid on the floor and bandaged up," he said.
"The doctor said because as I said I do like exercising and stuff like that. So if I wasn't such like a fit person I would have died at the scene. "And obviously that wasn't really pleasant to hear that...It's not something you really want to hear." He says he is angry that his injuries have left him unable to play football and exercise. "The fact that I'm not going to be able to do that for a long time now, and I had plans as well on the weekend.
"This is the stuff that just kind of like keep me happy and excited throughout the week. And the fact that it was stopped. It just made me proper kind of angry and sad." The extent of his facial injuries was hidden from him at first.
"I only seen it when I got home, because no one wanted to show me it, because it must've been really that bad, so no one wanted to show me," he said.
"When I got home and looked at the mirror and that's when I seen it. I was like: 'wow'.
"The doctor said it's gonna heal, but I'm gonna have marks on my face for the rest of my life.
"To know that this is gonna be me for the rest of my life is obviously not nice.
"And knowing that someone else done it to you just like for a dumb reason."
And it is not just the physical scars that are causing him distress following the incident that police are describing as racially aggravated.
The mental anxiety the incidence has caused him is as debilitating.
"The whole paranoia thing, PTSD, it's just not pleasant at all.
"You shouldn't really in your life be having to look over your shoulder all the time and not feel safe.
"It's definitely affected me and my family and people around me in different ways. And, let's say I recover, I don't feel I'm safe anymore to do anything."
Police are calling for witnesses as they continue to hunt for the suspects.
Neighbourhood Inspector Lorna Dallimore said: “This is a shocking incident in which a vehicle was deliberately driven at the victim and racist language used following the collision.
"I understand and share the concerns people have about this incident. We're talking with community leaders, the local authority and SARI but we have no evidence to suggest there is a wider risk to the public. Incidents like this are thankfully very unusual and Horfield and Southmead are diverse and welcoming areas."