Witness Appeal - Serious Heywood Assault

GMP

Detectives in Rochdale are appealing for witnesses after a man was found unconscious with a broken jaw in Heywood. The incident is believed to have happened between 2am and 2.40am in the early hours of Sunday morning, 22 May 2005, when the 25-year-old man was walking home from The Victoria pub down an alleyway alongside St Luke's Church, on Church Street.

The man vaguely remembers being grabbed from behind, however his next recollection is waking up in hospital. A passer by found the man unconscious in the alleyway and called an ambulance, who then contacted the police. The 25-year-old, from the Heywood area, was taken to Fairfield Hospital with a broken jaw and cuts to his mouth, tongue, ear and chin. Due to the seriousness of his injuries he was later transferred to the Blackburn Royal Infirmary for further treatment. The man is now recovering at home.

Nothing was stolen during the incident. Detective Constable Nicola Hopkinson from Rochdale CID, who is leading the investigation said: "The victim spent Saturday afternoon in pubs across Heywood town centre after watching the FA Cup   
Final between Manchester and Arsenal. The last pub he went in was The Victoria on Church Street and he left at around 2am the following morning, when we believe this vicious assault has happened.

"The victim is now recovering at home after having his jaw broken in twelve places and several of his teeth knocked out. As he was knocked unconscious, he remembers very little about the incident itself and I would ask anyone who may have been in the area at the time to think back to that Saturday evening and come forward with any information about the assault.

Anyone who may have seen what happened or who has any further information about the incident is asked to contact Rochdale CID on 0161 856 8437 or Crimestoppers anonymously in 0800 555 111.