Pensioner pelted with snowballs and attacked

POLICE are hunting a gang of youths in Inverurie who pelted a frail pensioner with snowballs before attacking him outside his home.

Duncan Rae, 79, a retired prison officer who suffers from angina, was kicked and stamped on the chest after he confronted the four youths at his home in Inverurie in Aberdeenshire on Wednesday night.

Mr Rae was assaulted when he went outside to collect supplies from the coal bunker at his home.

He said: “When they started throwing the snowballs, I was going to ignore them. But when they came up to the gate, I gave chase along the path.

“They ducked under a fence and were standing at the other side. When I bent down to follow them, they hit me with three more snowballs.”

He continued: “Then the biggest one kicked me in the hip before stamping on my chest – then they all fled.”

Mr Rae added: “I only just made it in. I suffer from angina and didn’t have my puffer with me.”

Appeal

Sergeant Alec Allan, of the local Grampian Police team, appealed for anyone with information about the attack to contact the force.

He said: “At around 5:15pm on Wednesday, we received a report of a 79-year-old gentleman having been assaulted on a lane near Old Chapel Road in Inverurie.”

Sgt Allan added: “While we are following a positive line of line of inquiry, I would appeal to anyone who may have been in the vicinity to come forward.

“Even if they weren’t in the area, any information from the public would be greatly appreciated.”

He added: “I would ask anyone who may know something to come forward and call 101 or Crimestoppers if they wish to remain anonymous.”

Mr Rae’s son Neil has also posted an appeal for information on a local social networking site. He states: “My dad was outside at his coal bunker filling the coal bucket when youths came up the drive to the gates and pelted him with snowballs. He approached them and they slowly left from the gates but goaded him into coming out onto the road. The next thing he is on the ground and one of the four is kicking him around the legs and chest. All four then ran, leaving him lying on the road in pain and hardly able to get breath. Anyone with any information on this please get in touch so we can escalate the police investigation into the matter.”