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Crime

05th Oct 2021

Horrific pictures show what happened after woman defends man ‘attacked for being gay’

Steve Hopkins

(Warning: Pictures and details contained in this story may disturb some readers)

Brave Daisy Wells says she ‘would do the same again’

Horrific pictures show what happened when a brave sales executive stepped in to defend a man who was being “attacked for being gay”.

Daisy Wells saw a man in his 50s being taunted by a group of young men on the way home from the Newcastle’s This Is Tomorrow Festival last month – because he had a glittery beard.

When the 28-year-old stepped in and told them to stop, one of the group punched her to the ground and kicked in the face, causing her teeth to pierce her cheek.

Despite needing eight stitches to sew up her face, Wells doesn’t regret coming to the man’s assistance, saying she “would do the same again”.

Wells, from Houghton-le-Spring, Sunderland, said: “I didn’t know him, but I wouldn’t change what I did to defend that man.”

She added: “I could never be a bystander and watch someone get beaten up for no reason other than who they are.”

Wells was leaving the festival at Exhibition Park with boyfriend Adam Darley, 27, and four friends when she spotted the man being attacked, on September 17.

The sole festival goer was being pushed around by two or three hoody-wearing men.

When she told them to leave him alone, they threatened her and kicked her in the face.

Wells said she “hardly noticed” the pain as she jumped up to make sure her friends were okay.

“It all happened so fast – the lads ran off and left me to check on my friends,” she explained.

“I was in complete shock and I couldn’t feel the pain – I was spitting out mouthfuls of blood but I barely noticed.

“I didn’t realise how badly I was injured until I took off my jacket after and saw it was covered in my own blood.

“I remember thinking ‘I’ve never seen that much blood before in my life – and it’s all mine’.”

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After being discharged from A&E at Royal Victoria Infirmary, Newcastle, Wells could barely eat, after her cheek swelled up.

But after taking some pain meds, she was able to return to the rest of the festival.

“People were shocked when they saw me with my stitches and swollen face, but I couldn’t even feel it,” she said.

“Without a doubt, I’d do the same again.

“But I hope the people responsible can be brought to justice – attacking innocent people is never okay.”

A spokesperson for Northumbria Police said the man was attacked shortly after 10pm in Brandling Park, Jesmond.

“It was reported that a male victim in his 50s had been walking down the street before he was approached and assaulted by two men who were not known to him.

“An investigation was launched into the incident, and officers have since learnt of a separate assault committed on another victim on the same evening.”

Police are now hunting the men responsible for the two attacks.

Anyone with information is asked to contact police via the ‘Tell Us Something’ page of the website or by calling 101 quoting reference number 816 17/09/21.

Topics:

hate crime