Attack dad dies after five weeks in coma

Feb 11 2008 by Ben Glaze, South Wales Echo

A SURFER and former professional golfer has died a month after being assaulted in a car park.

Nick Baty, 48, was apparently attacked near the Physique Gym, Brackla, Bridgend, on January 4.

He lay in a coma in intensive care at the town’s Princess of Wales Hospital for five weeks before dying at 2am yesterday.

A 17-year-old youth has appeared at Cardiff Crown Court accused of causing grievous bodily harm over the attack. Detectives were today reviewing the charge.

It is believed Nick, a trained first-aider, went to help someone in the car park before he was assaulted.

His father John Baty, 79, of St Brides Major, said today: “We had a phone call to tell us to go to the hospital but he died before we got there.

“We are all totally devastated and exhausted.

“Nick got on very well with people and was very much an outdoor type. He had a marvellous life.”

The Echo revealed last week how Mr Baty senior and his wife Mary, 82, were told their son was unlikely to recover.

Mr Baty said today the family had five weeks to come to terms with the reality their son would die.

He added: “We spent two hours at the hospital every day and made a point of talking to him.

“If he could hear we didn’t want him to hear us mourning, we felt the best thing was if we were cheerful and chatty.

“As far as we’re concerned we lost him the night he was assaulted.”

Nick’s 12-year-old daughter Katy, who lives with her mum in Bristol, last week thanked her dad through the Echo for being “so amazing”. She added: “I just want everyone to know how proud I am of him.”

She was too upset to talk today but her elder sister Emma Bates, who was not related to Nick, said: “He was a lovely man. Katy loved going and seeing him.

“He was a good dad to her. It’s hard for her because she doesn’t have a dad anymore.”

Emma, 18, said Katy knew her father would not recover and last visited him in hospital on Wednesday.

“She cried and told him she hoped he was proud of her,” said Emma.

“She was talking to him. She decided to say goodbye because she knew she wasn’t going to see him again.

“He was really frail and looked really old. You could see then his body was dying.”

Witnesses to the assault should call Bridgend CID on 01656 679528 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

ben.glaze@mediawales.co.uk