Couple threatened and attacked after confronting vandals on Bransgore street

A COUPLE were threatened and attacked with a suspected knuckleduster after confronting three teenagers vandalising vehicles in a Bransgore street.

Police are investigating the incident as Clare Lockyer (49) and her husband Bryan (55) walked their dog at the junction of Betsy Lane and Shackleton Square shortly after 11.30pm last Friday.

Both were left shaken and suffered minor injuries from the incident – in which Clare hit one assailant with a torch.

It began when the couple heard glass smashing and a loud thud nearby, and saw two youngsters, one of whom kicked a car.

“I shone my torch up the road to sort of say, ‘I’ve seen you, I heard you, so don’t do anything else’," Clare told the A&T.

“This lad was then right in my face, shouting at me and calling me names, and my husband stood in front of me and said, ‘That’s enough’.”

The youth launched himself at Bryan, but Clare pulled him away by his bag strap. The second then punched Bryan in the face.

“The third person then appeared from nowhere and said, ‘I’m gonna slash you with my blade’, and I could see he had what looked like a knuckleduster,” Clare continued.

“I hit him on the head with my torch and he turned round and punched me in the jaw and threatened me with the weapon.

“He went to hit me, but just caught my thumb, which was left with a little cut, swollen and bruised.”

Bryan’s car was one of two that had wing mirrors knocked off that night, and several other vehicles were damaged.

The armed offender was described as white, in his late teens, tall, of large build, and wearing a white, long-sleeved top and dark jeans.

The youth who punched Bryan was also white, around 17 years old, of large build, and wearing dark clothing.

The third youngster was white, late teens, tall and lanky, and wearing a tanned, camel-coloured, long-sleeved top and dark jeans.

Clare said the attack not only left both her and Bryan shaken up but affected their 14-year-old autistic son and 16-year-old daughter.

“My daughter is now saying, ‘Mummy, what if they come back?’. She’s really, really scared,” she said.

“It’s just shocking, especially with a bladed weapon.

“I’m thinking of going to the hospital because my jaw’s really painful and I’m having a job to eat. I also just have a constant headache.

“Bryan’s healing up nicely, but his teeth are very sensitive and his top lip is quite swollen and sore.”

Those with information should contact Hampshire police on 101, quoting crime reference number 44220139113, or call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.