An assault on a vulnerable Perth man has provoked a furious public backlash.
David Kettles (52) was attacked by a youth following a confrontation on Dalreoch Place on Sunday morning. The Letham resident was left with a broken jaw which will require to be operated on at Ninewells Hospital.
According to friends and family, the assault was unprovoked, sustained and brutal.
Andy Lothian, owner of Ace Taxis, said Mr Kettles is a regular customer and had been dropped outside the Balal takeaway shortly before the incident, at around 12.30am.
He said: ”He looks like a vulnerable person and you just have to speak to him for a minute to realise that. He was going into the shop when guys approached him and asked his name and the likes.
”He told them to go away and they ran over to him and gave him an absolute doing. He’s unrecognisable and has had his jaw broken in what was basically an unprovoked attack.”
Mr Lothian added: ”We’ve stuck an appeal on our Facebook site because we have 1,600 followers and hopefully they can provide information.”
Mr Kettles, who suffers anxiety and depression, was unavailable for comment. However, local people were furious to hear about the attack and vented on the Ace Taxis Facebook page.
A spokeswoman for Tayside Police said Mr Kettles was approached by a younger man who had been talking to the occupants of a nearby dark hatchback car.
She said: ”The man thought to be aged between 23 and 28 briefly argued with the older man before assaulting him and knocking him to the ground.”
The attacker is described as being 5ft 7in, of medium build, with brown shoulder-length hair, brushed to one side.
He was wearing a blue and white sweatshirt, blue jeans and a khaki coloured jacket.
Anyone with information is asked to contact police on 0300 111 2222.