Hunt for Swansea thugs who abused and punched young disabled Chelsea supporter after game
By Evans TheCrime

Wed January 21, 2015


Police are appealing for witnesses after a 16-year-old Chelsea fan with autism was abused and assaulted after leaving Swansea City's Liberty Stadium

POLICE are hunting for "cowardly" yobs who attacked a young disabled football supporter following a match at the Liberty Stadium.

The 16-year-old, who has autism, was verbally abused and punched in the face as he and his brother made their way back to the city centre after the Premier League clash.



The dad of the young victim said his son had wanted to visit Swansea to watch Chelsea play the Swans for years -- and has been left traumatised by the unprovoked street attack.



The incident happened on Llangyfelach Road following Chelsea's visit to the Liberty on Saturday, and left the teenager needing hospital treatment for facial and eye injuries.



The dad of the young London football fan -- who asked for his name not to be made public -- said he had been unable to get to the match on Saturday due to work but because the youngster had been so keen to visit Swansea, his older brother had travelled all the way from university in Scotland to accompany him to Wales.

He said: "My son has had Swansea on his to-do list for a couple of years, and was really looking forward to the trip.

"I had some texts from the boys during the day saying how much they were enjoying the visit -- then this happened.

"How could somebody do this to a young boy? It is a disgusting and cowardly thing to do.

"One of the effects of my son's condition is that he can't see the bad in people -- he just doesn't understand why somebody would want to do this bad thing to him.

"His one passion is football, and I always take him to all home matches, as well as two or three away matches each season, as it's his one release.

"The physical scars will heal in time, however mentally and emotionally -- especially given his disability -- this will be a big step backwards for him."

The attack happened near the Commercial Inn pub at around 5.30pm on Saturday as the visiting fans were walking into town.

The pair were approach by a group of four men in their 20s who started abusing them for being Chelsea fans - the younger sibling was wearing a club scarf - before punching the teenager in the face and running off.

The visitors then flagged down a passing police car, and officers arranged for them to get to Morriston Hospital for treatment, then waited to give them a lift to the train station.

The dad said: "The police were brilliant, very supportive, and I just hope somebody will come forward with information to help them.

"Somebody must know the lads who are responsible for this, and I hope it pricks their conscience to know what they did."

Police investigating the assault have carried out door-to-door inquiries in the area, and are searching CCTV footage for clues.

A spokesman for South Wales Police said: "Police investigating an assault on Llangyfelach Road on Saturday, January 17, are urging any witnesses -- or anybody with information about what happened -- to come forward."