Robbery victim beaten up in front of his son

POLICE want to talk to these two men, captured by CCTV

A MAN was viciously assaulted by robbers in front of his seven-year-old son.

The 41-year-old victim was sitting in his car, with his son in the passenger seat, outside an off-licence on Honeywell Lane, Hathershaw, when the three offenders attacked.

One of them opened the driver’s door and grabbed the man around the neck.

He punched the man in the face several times while demanding cash and the keys to the car.

The victim had been selling mobile phone sim cards and an accomplice of the attacker opened the boot and stole a large number of the cards. They also stole cash and a mobile phone from the victim before running off towards Belgrave Road and then driving off in a light blue or grey old-shape Renault Laguna.

It’s believed the offenders may have tailed the victim’s car from Ashton earlier.

The man suffered a broken nose, grazes to his cheek, a swollen lip and neck injuries. His son was left traumatised by the incident and has had trouble sleeping since.

Officers have now released CCTV images of people they want to speak to in connection with the attack at 2pm on Sunday, March 28.

The offenders were all Asian. The first robber was about 40-45-years-old, about 5ft 8in tall, with a stocky build and dark eyes which were very close together and possibly crossed. He wore a black hooded top, black tracksuit bottoms and black trainers. His accomplices were aged 20-30.

Det-Con Ben Miller, of Oldham CID, said: “It would appear that these robbers followed their victims from Ashton with the sole intention of robbing them.

“They used shocking violence and intimidation to get what they wanted, but I want to ask them how they would feel if their younger brother or son was caught up in a similar incident.

“I want to reassure everyone that we are doing everything in our power to bring these robbers to justice.”

If anyone recognises the people in the images, or has any information, they should call Oldham CID on 0161 856 8951 or Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111.