Pensioner karate-kicked into River Mersey by laughing teenagers 'reluctant to go out' after attack
Two teenagers who deliberately kicked a pensioner into the River Mersey in Cheshire have pleaded guilty to assault.
It happened at the back of the Riverside Retail Park in Warrington, on Sunday 25 April.
74 year old Gordon Bradbury had "just wanted to go fishing on a sunny day" when he was attacked and karate-kicked into the water by Benjamin Bridgeman, 18.
A 15-year-old, who can't be named because of his age, filmed the attack while it was happening and then posted it on Snapchat, putting a smiling emoji next to it.
They ran off afterwards but could be seen later looking at the footage together and laughing.
Mr Bradbury was rescued from the water by two schoolgirls, who heard his shouts for help:
The 74 year old suffered a cut to his nose and was badly shaken up by the shock of what had happened and the effect of the cold water.
His wife told the court her husband believes he could have drowned that day - and that since the attack he has become "aggressive, depressed and is reluctant to go out."
Crown Prosecutor Lydia Durkin of CPS Mersey Cheshire added:
“He was attacked by someone who is still a teenager, in a shocking manner. Both of the defendants had apparently no thought for the seriousness of what they were doing. The victim could have drowned. The victim certainly says that’s what he feared was going to happen."
Both defendants handed themselves in a few days after the assault.
Bridgeman pleaded guilty to Assault by Beating and the 15-year-old to Common Assault.
They will be sentenced in June.
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