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I thought I was going to die (From Worcester News)
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I thought I was going to die
10:42am Friday 28th September 2012 in News
By Sarah Davies
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BATTERED: Wesley Joyce (39138201)
THE victim of a horrific attack which left him unconscious and with serious head injuries after a charity fight night says he feels lucky to be alive.
Wesley Joyce was attending the event at City Gym, Sheriff Street, Worcester, on Saturday when he was set upon outside and hit with a wine bottle and fire extinguisher.
The 31-year-old relived the terrifying moment he was confronted by an armed gang, describing it as like a scene from the football hooligan film Green Street .
He said: “I went with my brother and some of my friends were fighting there. My brother had left five minutes before me.
“I went down the stairs, walked out the door and I’ve seen these people in twos or threes with weapons. They were armed with bottles, bats and everything. I don’t even know if they were in the event. Before I could turn around, I was hit by the bottle. I remember coming round and seeing the fire extinguisher next to me.
“Two people sat me down inside. The blood was streaming from my head. If it wasn’t for them, I would have been dead. I’ve got four young children and I’m glad I’m still here.
“People are saying I’ve been unlucky, but I think I’ve been lucky. I’m glad it happened where it did because if I had been down the road on my own then I would have been dead.”
Mr Joyce, of Ronkswood, who played for Worcester City Football Club as a teenager, denied reports of a mass brawl as reported in your Worcester News , and said it had otherwise been a successful night.
He said: “There was no trouble really. There were a couple of scuffles but nothing worse than you would get in a nightclub.
“It was all run really well. The organisers apologised to me, but it [didn’t happen] in their gym.
“It’s just a shame people are ruining good events where the people doing them have put in so much hard work. They were just some thugs from somewhere else that came to ruin a good event.”
The former soldier and fork-lift truck driver praised staff who rushed to his aid and the emergency services, saying they “saved my life”.
However, he said he did not hold out much hope of catching his attackers as he could recall little of the incident.
“I won’t be pursuing anything because there’s no point in wasting people’s time,” he said. “You can’t pin something on someone when you don’t know who it was.
"I was in the wrong place at the wrong time. It could have been anybody. We’ll never know the true story.”
PC Alex Denny, investigating, said: “Witnesses have told us the victim was attacked by a group of six or seven black males and it has been alleged he was struck with a fire extinguisher and a bottle.”
Police are appealing for witnesses to the assault to get in touch by calling 101 or ringing Crimestoppers on 0800 555111.
Comments(21)
More Tea Vicar
says...
12:22pm Fri 28 Sep 12
Now it sounds as if a large group of people burst in, singled out one person, assaulted him, and left.
Curious.
Still, I wish him a good recovery and the police success with their investigations.
one94
says...
12:36pm Fri 28 Sep 12
.
If you click on the link in this sentence.. "as reported in your Worcester News" it just takes you to search results for "worcester news"
truth must out
says...
1:00pm Fri 28 Sep 12
the real thing wrote:I knew Mr Joyce years ago and he was very volatile them!!!
mr joyce should be an author, most of his story is just that, a story!!!, mr joyce, he left to go home ?? really ?? he was kicked out for fighting
MrSeeEss
says...
1:17pm Fri 28 Sep 12
one94 wrote:I suspect this link is automated whenever the text 'Worcester News' is put into an article, and links texts are automated to go to a search page.
Why don't the links to other storys ever work?
.
If you click on the link in this sentence.. "as reported in your Worcester News" it just takes you to search results for "worcester news"
These internal links are put there for another reason, which is not to help the reader.
MrSeeEss
says...
1:20pm Fri 28 Sep 12
More Tea Vicar
says...
2:36pm Fri 28 Sep 12
I'm not entirely sure what they think they are gaining by it, but I find it oddly annoying, patronising even.
'The' Worcester News works well enough.
FourWFR
says...
3:41pm Fri 28 Sep 12
the real thing wrote:Indeed, his version of events are complete tosh, utter nonsense, I was also there that night and it certainly wasn't anything like the "couple of scuffles" he describes.
mr joyce should be an author, most of his story is just that, a story!!!, mr joyce, he left to go home ?? really ?? he was kicked out for fighting
I wouldn't call thirty odd blokes fighting, chairs being thrown from the ground floor into the crowd above and bottles flying around "no trouble really".
The boxing bouts aside, it was a shambles at times, there was clearly not enough security that night, most of the people fighting upstairs shouldn't have been there in the first place as it was premium ticket only. It's my guess the 'security' guy at the foot of the stairs wasn't briefed about this, as he didn't bother to check anyone as they strolled into the area.
One also wonders how much charity money was actually raised that night?
MrSeeEss
says...
3:43pm Fri 28 Sep 12
Seems to me there are so many contributors on here, all making suggestions that you could use.
I'd subscribe to the forum and I am sure there are many subscribers who would also like to contribute.
Maggie Would
says...
4:37pm Fri 28 Sep 12
MrSeeEss wrote:There is a forum. Look at the 'Your Say' section at the top of the page. It's been there for years.
MK, if you're reading this, is it time for a WN online readers' forum?
Seems to me there are so many contributors on here, all making suggestions that you could use.
I'd subscribe to the forum and I am sure there are many subscribers who would also like to contribute.
As for referring to the WN as 'your Worcester News,' I couldn't agree more. It's patronising and cynical.
thecigarman
says...
6:25pm Fri 28 Sep 12
pataragirl1
says...
9:24pm Fri 28 Sep 12
pataragirl1
says...
9:26pm Fri 28 Sep 12
truth must out wrote:You got it in 1
the real thing wrote:I knew Mr Joyce years ago and he was very volatile them!!!
mr joyce should be an author, most of his story is just that, a story!!!, mr joyce, he left to go home ?? really ?? he was kicked out for fighting
FourWFR
says...
2:01am Sat 29 Sep 12
thecigarman wrote:"The lads who organised the event done really well, and it was to raise funds for charity so the suggestion it wasent is wrong."
The lads who organised the event done really well, and it was to raise funds for charity so the suggestion it wasent is wrong. Mr joyce should stick to the facts, he knows who really started it, and like 1 comment said stop telling stories. Theres more grief in angel place on a wkend, who like the small amount of idiots ruin it for the good guys.
Nobody suggested it wasent (Sic), it was only questioned as to how much was actually raised that night.
katiekins
says...
8:43am Sat 29 Sep 12
liloliluk
says...
12:49pm Sat 29 Sep 12
Maggie Would wrote:But there won't be one much longer, it's closing on 15th October due to a lack of people using it.
MrSeeEss wrote:There is a forum. Look at the 'Your Say' section at the top of the page. It's been there for years.
MK, if you're reading this, is it time for a WN online readers' forum?
Seems to me there are so many contributors on here, all making suggestions that you could use.
I'd subscribe to the forum and I am sure there are many subscribers who would also like to contribute.
As for referring to the WN as 'your Worcester News,' I couldn't agree more. It's patronising and cynical.
montie98
says...
10:21pm Sat 29 Sep 12
the real thing wrote:Could not have happened to a nicer bloke. Tell him to think back when he glassed my son in the face leaving him scarred for life in a totally unprovoked attack!
mr joyce should be an author, most of his story is just that, a story!!!, mr joyce, he left to go home ?? really ?? he was kicked out for fighting
pataragirl1
says...
8:47am Sun 30 Sep 12
montie98 wrote:Montie 98 i totally agree with you
the real thing wrote:Could not have happened to a nicer bloke. Tell him to think back when he glassed my son in the face leaving him scarred for life in a totally unprovoked attack!
mr joyce should be an author, most of his story is just that, a story!!!, mr joyce, he left to go home ?? really ?? he was kicked out for fighting
SpaceMunkey
says...
4:08am Mon 1 Oct 12
news.co.uk/archive/2
005/02/17/Worcesters
hire+Archive/7457455
.Footballer_jailed_f
or_glass_attack_in_a
_pub/
SpaceMunkey
says...
4:20am Mon 1 Oct 12
esternews.co.uk/arch
ive/2005/08/02/Worce
stershire+Archive/78
02193.Commission_wai
ting_for_Wesley/
leemo79
says...
10:42pm Mon 1 Oct 12
the real thing says...
12:11pm Fri 28 Sep 12