Black Country shovel attack victim 'lucky to be alive' as attacker roams free
A man who was attacked in the street with a shovel that missed his jugular vein by centimetres was told by police they could not investigate due to a lack of officers.
David Thompson, 53, was rushed to hospital and required stitches after being left bleeding and slumped on a Bilston road following the assault on August 13.
But he says it took West Midlands Police nine hours to speak to him after the attack and that despite knowing the identity of the alleged perpetrator police initially failed to arrest him – blaming a shortage of officers on duty.
The man was eventually questioned three weeks after the attack and released without charge.
The case has now been dropped due to lack of evidence.
“I nearly lost my life and the way the police responded makes me feel like we are living in a lawless society,” Mr Thompson said.
“I am frightened and don’t feel safe.
“As a victim I feel I have been abandoned with no support and no help.”
Mr Thompson, from Westcroft, Wolverhampton, was driving along Green Park Drive in Stowlawn when he says a man on a bicycle carrying a shovel started shouting abuse at him.
He said when he pulled over the man started walking around the car with the shovel raised shouting that he was going to kill him.
Mr Thompson said when he attempted to get out of the car the man swung the shovel at him, cutting his neck and smashing the vehicle’s rear side window.
Slumped on the road against his car and bleeding, Mr Thompson called emergency services and was taken to hospital in an ambulance. I put my hand to my throat and I could feel blood dripping through my fingers and onto the pavement,” he said.
“I was absolutely petrified and thought he had killed me.”
Mr Thompson says his wound was stitched and doctors told him he was lucky to be alive due to it being just 2cm away from his main jugular vein.
He says he gave a statement to a police officer at around 7.30pm – nine hours after the attack. He was then told the alleged attacker had a string of previous convictions and was on bail, and would be arrested that night and possibly charged with attempted murder.
Four days later police told him that after an “extensive investigation” no evidence or CCTV footage had been found. “They said they couldn’t arrest him as I did not have two witnesses, so it was my word against his,” said Mr Thompson.
“I was then told that at the time of the incident there were only 14 officers covering the whole of Wolverhampton and Walsall, so basically they didn’t have enough manpower to go out and catch the guy.”
Police arrested the man three weeks later but released him without charge following a “no comment” interview.
Mr Thompson said: “I could have been killed and the guy that attacked me has got away with it. I have always believed that when you are in an emergency situation, the police are there to help.
“I’m afraid that in this instance, that hasn’t happened.”
West Midlands Police spokesman Craig Hughes, said: “We received a report of a 53-year-old man being assaulted in Stowlawn on August 13.
"The man was taken to hospital to receive stitches for a cut to his chin after reporting he had been struck with a spade.
"A statement was taken from the victim, following his release from hospital later that day, to establish further details. Enquiries were carried out to trace a man identified as a suspect.
“A man was arrested on suspicion of assault. However, with no CCTV or witness accounts to support the investigation he was released with no further action.
“We don’t underestimate the impact of being a victim of assault and we’ll review and explore any fresh information we receive.”
A spokesperson for the West Midlands Police and Crime Commissioner said: "Mr Thompson has been a victim of a terrible crime.
"The office of the PCC has corresponded with him and is awaiting additional information as we examine the issues raised further.”
