Essex high street attack on homeless person is probed

An eyewitness said the male victim was bleeding from the nose and mouth as his attacker fled shortly after 6.50pm on Friday.

Police officers are now hunting a white man with short brown hair in connection with the incident.

The eyewitness, who remains anonymous, said: “I was just talking to the homeless man when all of a sudden this lad appeared out of nowhere and jumped on him.

Assault - Colchester High Street (Image: Archant)

“He was punching him in the face and the nose; punching him in the stomach and then kicking him.

“His nose was all bloodied and he was bleeding from his mouth. He didn’t seem violent at all, he wasn’t nasty.”

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The 57-year-old added: “I have seen him since and he told me his collarbone and nose were both broken.

“I just froze. I wish I could have done something to stop it but I had my grandson with me. It really frightened him, it was horrible.”

Random attack - a homeless person is said to have been attacked in Colchester (Image: PA)

Essex Police has now asked anyone with information or CCTV to come forward.

It said officers are hunting a white man, 5ft 6ins tall, with short brown hair and wearing a dark navy or black coloured hooded top with tracksuit trousers.

Read more: Pictures show shopkeeper held at knifepoint during terrifying raid in Colchester

“We received a call shortly after 6.50pm on Friday to reports of a man being assaulted,” said a police spokesman.

“[The attacker] was reported to have left the scene shortly after the call came in.”

News of the incident left homeless campaigner Myra Champion, from Colchester, “speechless”.

Incident - Colchester High Street (Image: Newsquest)

“These poor people, they get such terrible treatment from others in society,” said Mrs Champion.

“I am very shocked and horrified to hear what has happened.

“With all forms of social media people are going over the boundaries. I really hope this hasn’t been turned into some warped TikTok.

“People just walk past homeless people like they are not there and judge them.

“Some are veterans, some are dealing with addiction, but they are all people.”

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