Charity recognises braveryofmanwho suffered horrific attack

A Dundee man who collapsed with bleeding on the brain after suffering a sickening assault has been shortlisted for a major award.

Colin Robertson, 48, was randomly attacked by three men while on a night out in Livingston in 2003.

The serious assault left him with a footprint on his head. Twelve months on from his ordeal, Colin collapsed having suffered a haemorrhage.

Such was the extent of his injuries, he has had to relearn how to talk, read and write.

At one stage in his recovery process, Colin, who now suffers from epilepsy, struggled to remember his children’s names.

In 2009, he began to volunteer with brain injury charity Headway.

Since then, Colin has given talks to 10,000 school pupils in an effort to prevent cycling-related injuries.

As tribute to his educational work, Colin has been shortlisted for volunteer of the year at the National Brain Injury Awards.

Speaking of his ordeal, Colin said: “I was in the wrong place at the wrong time.

“One moment of mindless violence can change a person’s entire life in an instant.

“I had to completely retrain my brain to be able to speak properly and I couldn’t swallow food without choking.

“Hidden effects of brain injury can be so subtle that even those closest to you may not notice them.

“It’s easy to overlook errors such as pouring orange juice on your cereal or salt in your tea.

“It is sometimes these little things that reveal the true extent of brain injury.”

Three men were arrested and charged in relation to Colin’s experience, but the case collapsed when a jury returned a not proven verdict against one man and found the other two to have no case to answer.

Joyce Cattanach, of Headway East Lothian, nominated Colin for the award.

She said: “He never asks for praise for all his work and thoroughly deserves the recognition that an award would bring.”