Cancer victim battered in front of grandchildren, but thug let off by police

As his young grandchildren screamed in horror the assault seemed to last for hours.

Eventually, customers from a nearby pub realised what was going on and dragged the attacker off.

Mr Dale, aged 67, was left bloodied, black-eyed and understandably badly shaken by the attack.

But what happened next simply added insult to injury.

Police arrested a 45-year-old man, but he merely received a caution. Despite the violence of the attack, police categorised it as 'low-level offending'.

The assault seemed as if it was never going to end, according to Mr Dale, who thanked bystanders who stepped in to save him.

He was pulling out of Penny Hill Lane in West Bromwich when a car, looking to turn into the road, blocked his path on Sunday afternoon at around 1.30pm.

After a heated exchange and in defence of his grandchildren, Joe and Grace, aged seven and four, Mr Dale got out of his car.

He was immediately set upon and beaten with punches.

Fortunately for 67-year-old Mr Dale, customers from the nearby Crown and Anchor pub saw what was going on and rushed out in aid of the grandfather, pushing his attacker off him.

Mr Dale, of Walsall Road, said: "I honestly believe if the people from the pub hadn't come to help, he would have killed me.

"It was absolutely relentless. I edged out of the junction only a few inches but the car turning into the road was determined not to let me go.

"The next thing I know he had completely lost it, calling me everything under the sun, telling me he was going to knock me out and pulled his car in front of mine so I was blocked in.

"I got out the car but didn't have a chance – he came flying at me with punches, kicks, everything. I'm just getting over bowel cancer and have to wear a colostomy bag.

"All I kept thinking was it was going to burst and I'd bleed to death in front of my grandchildren, who were just left in the car screaming and frightened.

"The blows seemed like they were never going to stop.

"If it wasn't for those people I honestly don't know what would have happened.

"I really want to show my gratitude and would love to meet them in person again, as at the time everything was such a blur I didn't get anyone's name."

Sandwell Council's deputy leader Steve Eling condemned the attack and said police should have taken stronger action.

He said if Mr Dale was not satisfied with the punishment his attacker received then he ought to take his case to the Independent Police Complaints Commission.

Councillor Eling said: "I can't believe this and I think Mr Dale and his family should pursue it to the IPCC. You can't let the attacker get away with just a caution - that's totally disproportionate.

"What it does is frighten people to death and doesn't act as a deterrent to stop people doing this.

"People will think this could happen to them but nothing will be done about it.

"Society is getting more and more violent and if all people get is a caution then it's inviting this sort of thing to happen."

Ambulance and police were quick to the scene. Mr Dale went to Sandwell Hospital for treatment and was later released.

A 45-year-old man from Stone Cross, West Bromwich, was arrested and later cautioned for assault, the police confirmed.

West Midlands Police spokesman Lee Page said: "A number of things are taken into consideration before a caution is issued, including the nature and extent of any loss to the victim and whether or not the suspect has a criminal record.

"Cautions can only be given where there is an admission of guilt by the suspect, where there is a realistic prospect of conviction if the offender were to be prosecuted and where it is in the public interest to do so.

"Simple cautions are only used after consideration of all these factors and only for low-level offending."