Deaf friends punched and stabbed by thugs who taunted them about their disability

Two yobs – one as young as 14 – carried out a sickening attack on deaf friends, stabbing one of them in the chest after taunting them about their disability.

the ‘ shocking, unprovoked’ assault happened after the two victims had left a pub. It is believed the youths picked on the men after seeing them communicate using sign language.

One, nicholas roche, 43, was punched in the face before his friend, who is 46, was stabbed with a 12in kitchen knife with a pink handle, and lost two-and-a-half pints of blood. Last night, Mr roche’s friend was in a stable condition in the critical care unit at Manchester royal Infirmary.

Both men are care workers for deaf people with mental health issues, as well as being deaf themselves. they were approached by their assailants, who are thought to be between 14 and 17 years old, yards from Mr roche’s home in Swinton, greater Manchester. He has told friends he is now too afraid to return.

Describing the attack, the men’s friend Jonathan goodwin said: ‘they had been a quiet pint at the Last Orders pub in Swinton and were walking home. they were talking to each other using sign language when two youths approached.

‘nicholas tried to explain that they were deaf and they began taking the mickey. One turned away then stabbed nicholas’ friend at least twice in the chest.

‘nicholas had been punched, but still tried to stem the bleeding by putting his hand on his friend’s chest.’

Mr roche knocked on five doors nearby before someone answered and called an ambulance for him.

Mr goodwin said the consequences ‘could have been so much worse’ for Mr roche’s friend, who is from the Liverpool area and was staying in Manchester for the evening. He said: ‘He was initially in a bad way. I have seen him in intensive care and he is out of danger now. He is in the critical care unit with a nurse at his side at all times.’

news of the attack on the deaf friends last thursday emerged following the abuse of a vulnerable woman in the Suffolk market town of Bury St edmunds. She was pelted with eggs and flour and a celebratory photo of yobs posing behind her was posted online. Four boys – two aged 17 and two aged 15 – have been arrested and bailed pending further inquiries, police said.

Mr goodwin said Mr roche had suffered ‘three years of grief’ from thugs in Swinton before the incifor dent. ‘nicholas says he has had trouble in the past, which he has raised with his housing association,’ he said. ‘He has asked them for help after the windows of his house were broken and his car tyres were slashed.

‘He has had people taking the mickey and giving him ‘V’ signs. He thinks the stabbing was meant for him.’

PC James Wakeley, of greater Manchester Police, appealed for information, saying: ‘this was a shocking, unprovoked attack.’

Dianne Morrish, landlady of the Last Orders, said Mr roche and his friend were popular regulars.

‘It’s not right that they should be picked on because they are deaf,’ she said.

‘It is sad but there are quite a few kids around here who are a bit knife happy.’