Fighting for life

Jun 12 2008 by Dominic Jones, Gwent Gazette

THE victim of a vicious drive-by brick attack in Swffryd is fighting for his life after suffering serious head injuries.

Ross Harrison, 22, was walking through the village between 11.30pm and midnight on Friday (June 6) when he was hit with a house brick by an assailant riding past on a scooter.

Detectives in Abertillery confirmed that the assailant is believed to have travelled from the Hafodrynys Hill direction to Swffryd Road before driving back towards the direction of Hafodrynys Hill.

Speaking on Monday, Mr Harrison’s sister made a desperate plea for information about the vicious assault which left her brother fighting for his life in the University of Wales Heath hospital.

Carllie Harrison, 24, of Lewis Street, Swffryd described how her distraught family are holding vigil for Mr Harrison and struggling to keep strong during this difficult time.

As the Gazette went to press the Harrison family, parents Amanda and Andrew and brother Dewi, 14, had yet to hear of any improvement in Mr Harrison’s condition.

Miss Harrison said: “It’s tearing us all apart.

“His condition hasn’t changed, he is critical but stable.”

Miss Harrison said that she first heard about the attack in the early hours of Saturday (June 7) morning when she was contacted by two of her brother’s friends.

She said: “The two boys who were with him came and told me.

“I think they might have been walking back from the Hafodrynys Pub.

“All the boys can remember is someone chucking a brick and they said that the licence on the scooter had a ‘c’ in it.

“They said they had never seen anything like it – the trauma to his head and the blood, he was in a bad way.”

Miss Harrison described her brother as a “well-liked boy” who keeps out of trouble, which makes his attack even harder to come to terms with for the family.

She said: “We just don’t know what to think.

“We are begging anybody with information to come forward.

“I don’t think people realise how serious throwing a brick can be.

“If you pick a brick up you are thinking about doing damage.”

Anyone who witnessed the assault or has any information to assist police with their enquiries are asked to contact Gwent Police on 01633 838111 or anonymously on Crimestoppers 0800 555111.

Officers are particularly interested to hear from the driver of a red 4x4 vehicle, who it is believed may have witnessed the incident.