Man’s hand run over after chip shop attack in Romford - police appeal for witnesses
The swelling was so bad that Shane's hand had to be cut open so it could be decompressed. He later needed 40 stitches - Credit: Archant
A violent attacker in a chip shop bit open a man’s hand and dragged him into the path of a bus – which ran over the injury.
Shane's hand after the bite marks were sewn up - Credit: Archant
In a gruesome fight that lasted 10 minutes, the man pinned young dad Shane to the ground and savaged his hand, before pulling him outside into the road. The injury from the bus left him needing emergency surgery and 40 stitches.
Shane, of Romford, had been in the Station Fish and Kebab Bar after a night out with his girlfriend when the trouble began.
“It started when my girlfriend said: ‘Excuse me – you jumped the queue’,” said the 25-year-old. “I thought he’d just go: ‘Sorry, you go first,’ but he was being really aggressive and told her he didn’t care. I asked him not to speak to her like that and he attacked me.
“He ended up on top of me on the floor, pretty much bit the top of my finger off and bit a chunk out of the palm of my hand.
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“From there it went outside. He was still on top of me and that’s when the bus came up and ran over my hand.”
Shane described his injuries as “extremely painful”.
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“I was going in and out of consciousness,” he said. “Blood was pouring out of my hand.”
He was taken to Queen’s Hospital in an ambulance and then transferred to Chelmsford. He underwent an operation to repair his smashed knuckles, with wires placed inside his hand that mean he can’t bend his middle and index fingers.
Builder Shane said: “It was my right hand, and I’m right-handed. As I’ve got an eight-month-old baby, it’s quite hard work.
“My hand’s still swelling and I can’t clench a fist. I have trouble interacting with my son now – I can’t hold him up in the air or play around with him like I used to in case my hand gives way. Even the slightest knock is painful.”
Shane said his attacker got onto the next bus and was seen laughing and waving as he pulled away.
Police described the man as black and six feet tall. Any witnesses to the attack – which happened in South Street at about 2.10am on Saturday, February 2 – should call Romford CID on 101, or contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.
Det Con Dean Grafton said: “Although it was the early hours of the morning, this was still a busy area and someone must have seen something.”
