A visually disabled man was attacked and robbed in Derry early yesterday morning while walking his guide dog.
Mr Charles Doherty (40) sustained an injury to his head when he was struck with a hard object near his home at Gerard Close in the Ballymagroarty Estate.
Mr Doherty described as cowards his assailants, who also stole £30. "I live alone and most nights I would go out for a drink to the pub and get a taxi home. I then walk my guide dog, Winnie, in a field at the back of the house. As I did that last night, the first thing I knew was that I was hit on the head. I stumbled to the ground but managed to make my way back to the house, but as I did so one of my attackers put his hand into my pocket and stole my wallet.
"I heard three voices during the attack. They spoke very aggressively and their attitude was if I didn't give them my money they would do a lot worse to me. One of them then hit me with either a bottle or a piece of wood.
"During the attack Winnie became very upset. She's an 11- year-old Labrador and is a guide dog, not a dog to protect me from attacks. It's the first time something like this has happened to me but if the intention of the cowards who did this is to force me out of my home, they're going to be disappointed. I'm staying."
A PSNI spokesman described the attack on Mr Doherty as despicable. "It was a frightening experience for Mr Doherty and we are appealing for anyone in the community who may have seen anything or who has information about this dreadful attack to contact us," the spokesman said.