Serious assault on Midland Road, Bedford

A 16-year-old Afghan man was walking past The Paddington  with his friend, an Afghan man in his early twenties, when they met and spoke to two women.

A large group of between 20 and 30 men then approached them and an argument started.

One member of the group has then struck the victim on the back of the head with a glass bottle and hit him in the face causing lacerations to his head and mouth. The victim and his friend then walked away and sought help from police officers they encountered nearby. The victim was later treated at hospital for his injuries.

DC Darren Armitage, investigating, said: “This seems to have been a violent, unprovoked attack upon a young man outside a busy pub on a busy road junction with lots of people passing by. Were you walking or driving past this location at around 10.50pm on Friday evening? We would like to talk to anyone who was at the pub at this time and may have seen something. Did you see what happened or know anyone in this group? Did you see who hit this man or anyone leaving the scene?”

Anyone with information can contact DC Darren Armitage on 01234 275356, or text to 07786 200011 or call Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111.

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