Patient dies days after police drop investigation

A DIALYSIS patient who alleged he was attacked by two men on a Gower road has died – just two days after being told by police they would be taking no further action over the incident.

The 51-year-old, who also suffered from diabetes and had a heart condition, claimed to have been thrown to the ground by two men after being struck by a car wing mirror on Caswell Bay Road on September 7.

Police launched an appeal for witnesses to the incident, which began when the victim shouted at a passing vehicle because he claimed it had clipped him as he walked his dog.

He alleged two men then jumped from the vehicle, threw him to the floor and snatched his glasses before driving away.

Officers spoke to two men in connection with the incident, who made counter-allegations. But, following the victim’s death on October 18, his brother, who does not want to be named, has criticised the decision not to take any further action over the alleged assault, saying he believed it was ‘naive’.

He said: “My brother was limited in what he could do because of his health conditions. But he would walk as far as he could, often walking between Brandy Cove and Caswell.

“But he was clearly unwell. He had a dialysis fistula in his arm, he had a heart condition.” He said that in his opinion his brother, “was hardly going to be someone who attacks two healthy, ablebodied men”.

His brother, who also wanted to remain anonymous when he spoke about the incident at the time, alleged back then: “I was walking towards Bishopston on Caswell Bay Road when a car went past, and its mirror clipped my arm.

“I shouted ‘oi’ and at that the car stopped a few yards down the road and the driver got out in a quite aggressive manner. Another man got out of the back and a woman got out as well. The men started walking towards me and I held my arms up. I still had my dog on a lead, and there was a scuffle and they pinned me to the floor and took my glasses.

“Traffic had stopped and two men on motorcycles called on them to get off me. I asked for my glasses back but one said he was keeping them, and they took off ”.

His brother added that he believed the police investigation had been worse than useless and felt it “was absolutely incredible police could have believed what these two men told them”.

“He was in such a poor physical condition that 48 hours later I had to go and rescue him from Tesco in Mumbles after his blood sugar level got so low and he had an episode.”

He said he thought the decision not to take any further action over the incident was “naively stupid”.

“They told him there would be no further action and two days later he passed away. We don’t know if the assault started a chain of events that led to his fatal heart attack.”

He added that the family intended to pursue a civil action against his brother’s alleged attackers.

A spokesman for South Wales Police said: “On Tuesday, September 7, South Wales Police received two reports of an assault from two men, one aged 51 and the other aged 68.

“Both reports were investigated. There being no other witnesses there was no further evidence to corroborate either version of events. As such no further action could be taken.

“All parties were informed of this decision.”