[A] man has been left with serious head and facial injuries after refusing to pay for a magic trick in Morecambe last night (Monday, December 18th).
It happened at around 10:30pm as the victim, a 23-year-old local man, was walking home from town along West End Road with a friend following a night out.
The pair were approached by three men, one of which was carrying a radiator. He has asked them for a cigarette lighter and one of his accomplices has then asked them for money.
The man with the radiator then asked whether the victim would like to say a magic trick with a £1 coin at the cost of £10 but when the victim refused, saying he had no money, he was punched to the face.
He was then grabbed and pulled backwards into some bushes and after to trying to grab two of the offenders, fell to the floor where he was repeatedly kicked and stamped to the head whilst one of the suspects took his wallet from his back pocket. He suffered a fractured eye socket, fractured nose and a bleed on the brain.
He was taken to Royal Lancaster Infirmary where he remains receiving treatment.
DS Ian Lawrence from Lancaster Police said: “This was a truly shocking attack on a man who has simply just making his way home from a night out when he wasn’t only violently attacked, but the offenders then had the audacity to take his wallet as he laid injured on the ground.
“I am asking anyone who may have seen the people responsible to speak to us. The main offender was carrying a radiator so someone must remember seeing this group.
“If you have any information that could help us with our investigation please come forward and speak to us.”
The man with the radiator is described as white, aged between 25 and 30, around 5ft 6ins, of slim build with dark hair and dark facial hair. He was wearing all grey clothing and a woollen hat.
A second offender is described as white, between 16 and 20, around 5ft 5ins and was wearing a black jacket, grey tracksuit bottoms whilst carrying a can of Carlsberg.
The third man is described as having dark hair.
Anyone with information can call us on 101 quoting incident number LC-20171218-1405.
Alternatively independent charity Crimestoppers can be contacted on 0800 555111 or online at crimestoppers-uk.org.
