`Road-rage' victim rejects publicity

A man beaten over the head with a metal bar because he did not say thank you to a driver is withholding his identity because he did not want to frighten his three young children.

The 31-year-old man, from Norris Green, Liverpool, faces further surgery as he still cannot see in his right eye but doctors hope he will regain his sight.

The man had dropped his children at a relative's home in Liverpool and was crossing a road at about 6pm on Fridaywhen a newish looking black Vauxhall Cavalier slowed to let him cross. Its driver waved him on but when he was almost across he felt a heavy blow to his back.

He turned to see the driver, a 6ft tall skinhead in his 20s, attacking him with a 3ft long scaffolding bar. He struck him across the right side of his head knocking him to the ground.

The driver told him: "Next time say thanks", and got back in his car. The injured man was found staggering along the road and taken to the Royal Liverpool hospital. He suffered three fractures above his right eye socket and had bone removed.

A police spokesman said yesterday that the pedestrian could not see at present because of the injury, but medical staff are hopeful that he will get sight back in the eye.

"He does not want his name released. He said he didn't want his children to know he has been assaulted in this way because he didn't want to put fear in them," the spokesman added.

"It is a shame when people can't just cross the road to go to a chip shop without being attacked like this. Road rage is quite new and we have had no similar incidents in the area but this is particularly shocking when you consider that it was unprovoked."