Injured man ‘shocked’ by gang attack
A man who was ‘bottled’ at the Royal Crescent in Bath has shared photos of his injuries and described his shock at being attacked out of the blue.
Mateusz Jaworski, 27, who goes by the name Matt, was left needing hospital treatment after being struck in the face with a glass bottle.
Matt initially thought he’d just try and shake the attack off, thinking ‘it could have been worse,’ but contacted the Chronicle’s website Bath Live after reading about other recent incidents at the Crescent.
He has shared photos of his shocking injuries around his eye, which required him to have stitches and take a week off work.
His friend, who has not come forward, was left with a broken nose and swollen fingers which also affected his work.
“I just thought to move on with my life and then I saw the article and I thought this must be a problem,” he said. “People do need to know about this, as it’s clearly not an isolated incident.
“People getting away with this gives them the confidence to go and do it again.”
Matt, who has lived on and off in Bath for the past six years after he came to university here, has always thought of the city as “one of the nicest places to live”. He was not prepared for an attack like this to happen here.
Matt was sitting on the lawns opposite the Royal Crescent in a group of three men and three women on the evening of May 30, when he says a large group of youths starting throwing glass bottles at them.
He had only been at the park for about an hour when the incident began.
He estimated the offending group was made up of about 12 to 15 people around 18 to 21 years’ old.
He said: “I was sat down - I literally had half a beer and this s*** started kicking off.
“They started throwing bottles in our direction and one hit one of the girls.
“My friend at that point got up and went over to them to ask them why they were throwing bottles and before we knew it they were already punching him.
“They hit him from behind. He tried to defend himself but he didn’t have much of a chance.”
Matt went over to try to help his friend who had been injured. He honestly believes they had not done anything to incite the attack.
He said: “I went over and foolishly turned around to see if my mate was ok and I got hit with a bottle in the head. We didn’t even throw a punch. It was literally just basic self-defence.
“We were quite clearly outnumbered. They were throwing punches at anybody - guys or girls.”
Matt was taken to the Royal United Hospital in Bath where his wounds - which reached very close to his eye including onto his eyelid - were stitched up.
Thankfully Matt, who lives just off London Road, in Bath, has not lost a regular destination by avoiding the Royal Crescent, but he says he would be hesitant to return.
He said: “I haven’t been back since. I probably don’t want to go in all fairness.
“I have overheard a neighbour saying they don’t want to go to the
Crescent as it’s a really dodgy place now.”
A spokesman for Avon and Somerset Police said: “We have received a report that two men, in their 20s, were in the Royal Crescent area of Bath at about 11pm on Saturday, May 30, when they were approached by a group of unknown males.
“A scuffle ensued and it saw the two men struck with what is believed to have been a bottle. Both were taken to hospital for treatment after suffering facial injuries.
“The group were said to have left the scene in the direction of Royal Victoria Park.”
Anyone who witnessed what happened should call 101 and give reference 5220117728.