Kentish Express Ashford & District
Thugs attack bakery staff
A baker has spoken of his upset and disgust after a gang of drunken youths set upon him, his staff and business in an unprovoked attack.
The raid on the Davies Family Bakery, in Beaver Road, South Ashford, left owner Andy Davies and employee Jon Wilson in hospital after a gang invaded the premises in the middle of the night.
Two teenagers were arrested following the incident on Saturday on suspicion of affray and police took the names of the others involved.
Five members of staff, including Mr Davies, his son and Mr Wilson, were in the shop when the attack took place.
As it was hot inside the bakery the men, who had started their shift at 10pm, had wedged the front door open slightly using an A-board, in order to keep a breeze flowing through the shop.
Mr Davies, 49, said: “It was about 1.30am when I heard an almighty bang. I ran to the front of the shop and this teenager was just standing there. He had booted the door open, which hit the fridge, denting it. “I told him to get out, but he kicked me. He was holding the door handle and viciously kicking me, like some sort of karate kid. He picked up the A-board and threw it at me, which is what injured my hand.
“My son then ran through and tried to protect me. We ended up outside the shop, which is when I noticed there was a whole group of them.
“They then went across the road and picked plant pots up from a garden and started throwing pots.
“Jon came out at that point, and he is a big guy so we thought that might intimidate them. But they smashed a pot over his shoulder.”
Police and the ambulance service were called and Mr Davies was taken to the William Harvey Hospital with a fractured thumb.
He was later joined by Mr Wilson who was suffering with severe back pain.
Mr Davies’ wife Tracy, 47, was in bed when she received a call from her son at about 2am to let her know what had happened. She said: “I was in sheer panic. I jumped out of bed and drove straight there. When I arrived Andy was in the ambulance about to be taken to hospital.
“I stayed at the bakery to make sure the bakers were OK, then went to the hospital, then came back.
“I was really torn. I needed to be at the shop because we couldn’t let our customers down, but also needed to be with Andy.”
Father- of- t wo Mr Davies required surgery on this thumb later that day, as his nail had come out its socket. It is expected to take about 12 weeks to heal.
His car, and Mr Wilson’s, the shop’s window, baskets and the fridge door were all damaged in the attack.
Mr Davies has worked at the Beaver Road business for 35 years after joining at the age of 14. He took over ownership 12 years ago with Tracy.
In all that time he says he has never experienced anything like the ordeal that took place.
He added: “I am shocked and disgusted that this could happen. We were just at work like normal and were the victims of a random attack.
“We’ve had drunks come into the shop before asking for a cake or roll.
“We usually give them one and they leave. But I’ve never experienced a violent attack before.
“It is very noisy in the bakery and we had a lot of baskets out on the floor, so we didn’t see or hear them coming, otherwise we would have locked the door.
“We heard another neighbour was punched in the face.
“I don’t think we were targeted or it was an attack on me, but as our lights are on it was like a beacon.
“We just wanted them gone. We never touched them.
“It was bad enough my son was there but I’m glad my wife wasn’t.”
‘I am shocked and disgusted that this could happen. We were the victims of a random attack’