Family in plea for help to find man's attacker

Richard Allen suffered serious head injuries and has spent almost two months in hospital after he was battered by a thug in Wolverhampton.

The 40-year-old was on a night out with his sister Elizabeth and friends Colin MacNeill and Tina Willets when he and Mr MacNeill were attacked.

Mr Allen, from Penn, was left in a critical condition while Mr MacNeill suffered a fractured eye socket and broken nose.

Scroll down to see the new CCTV

Elizabeth said her younger brother, a family support worker for children in care, was now "a fraction" of the man he was before he was battered.

"He's always been very outgoing. He knew everything about everything and was very knowledgeable, but now he has trouble remembering to have some toast to eat or to turn the kettle off. He seems very passive," said Miss Allen, aged 42.

"He's very frightened. When he was in hospital he didn't like other patients near him because he was so scared. It has left him very wary.

"I wouldn't wish what has happened to Richard on anyone. Not even my worst enemy. It has been hard on my parents because my dad was diagnosed with cancer last Christmas and has just finished chemotherapy. He's not coping well with what happened to Richard at all."

Mr Allen and Mr MacNeill were attacked as they walked along North Street near to the junction with Darlington Street at about 3am on October 27.

Police believe the man responsible for the assaults had been in Manders Bar, where Mr Allen and his friends were, before the attack.

Mr Allen suffered what appeared to have been a cut to his eye but over the coming days, his condition deteriorated.

Third year Wolverhampton University English Literature student Miss Allen said: "The only injury we could see was the cut on his eyebrow. He seemed fine and said he was OK but that his head was hurting a bit.

"Come the Monday morning when my mum and dad went to see if he was OK, he couldn't stand up so an ambulance was called straight away."

Mr Allen, a father of six, ended up in intensive care at Birmingham Queen Elizabeth Hospital and had to have two operations to relieve bleeds and blood clots to his head. Miss Allen said he now has to have constant care, is weak to the left side of his body and has trouble with his speech.

She said he has gone from being fiercely independent to having to rely on the care of his parents at their home in Tettenhall.

"He's got small children and can't look after them. He needs someone with him all the time because he's got half of his skull missing.

"He hasn't been able to see his children over Christmas. He would have had them on his own but he's not capable of looking after them. They're not really at an age where they can look after themselves and he couldn't be trusted to take care of them.

"It is hard to see someone so independent reduced to being dependent on his parents again, which he wouldn't want."

Mr Allen's suspected attacker was des-cribed as Asian, 6ft tall, slim build and in his mid 20s. He was wearing a brown jacket, light brown Chino trousers and a cap.

Officers also want to speak to two women who may have been with him on the night.

Detective Sergeant Barbara Dale, from Force CID, said: "This attack has left one of the victims with a serious injury which will affect him for the rest of his life.

"As a result he has spent the run-up to Christmas in a rehabilitation clinic rather than at home with his family.

"This was a completely unprovoked attack that has had serious consequences. We want to hear from anyone with any information about the attacker or anyone who can help us identify the women in the images, we believe they may have vital information about what happened and who was responsible."

Anyone with any information about the incident should call police on 101 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.