Royal Navy Veteran, 77, Beaten and Robbed by 'Laughing' Teenage Thugs
British military vet left battered on the ground following brutal robbery by teens
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A 77-year-old British Royal Navy veteran has been left with severe bruising all over his face and body after being beaten and robbed by a mob of "laughing" thugs near his home.
Patrick Murphy says he's now too afraid to leave his home after he was knocked to the ground by a gang of teenagers on his way back from the store.
Mr. Murphy says the pack of teens were "laughing and shouting" as they beat him on the floor before riding off on their bikes with his grocery bags.
The grandfather of four, from Basingstoke, Hampshire, now says he would like to ask his attackers: "Are you proud of yourselves, for attacking a pensioner?"
The incident occurred last Saturday evening when Mr. Murphy had gone shopping after watching the Ashes cricket, but as he returned home, the thugs struck.
Describing the attack, he said: "I heard a cyclist coming so I went to move out of the way then suddenly it was 'whack' 'whack' 'whack' around the head.
"Next thing I was on the floor and my shopping had gone," he said.
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According to the Daily Mail, he was left on the ground in pain while the thugs cycled off "laughing and shouting" with his shopping.
With no one else around, Mr. Murphy picked himself up and took himself home.
He said he was initially in shock and didn't call the police because he "didn't want to cause any bother."
On Sunday, he spent the day with a bag of frozen peas on his face.
And because his groceries had been robbed, he had no fresh food in.
Mr. Murphy only reported the sickening crime two days later after a friend urged him to.
"I didn't want to cause a fuss," he said.
It was a journey Mr. Murphy had made many times before but one he said he won't be repeating from now on after dark.
"I won't be doing that again. It has made me think twice. I don't go out in the dark normally but I definitely won't be now," he said.
The former serviceman, who was in the Navy for 11 years, praised the police who arrived quickly on Monday morning and took him straight to the hospital.
"I had a police officer either side of me, it was like having bodyguards," he joked.
When news of the attack became public kind-hearted people from his community began fundraising money to pay for Patrick's stolen shopping.
To date, they have raised more than £900 ($1120).
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But because the retired seaman and former oil rig diver isn't on any social media sites - he had no idea until a friend told him.
Mr. Murphy - whose face is still heavily bruised - said he was "gobsmacked."
He said: "I wasn't expecting any of this at all.
"I just want to say thank you to everyone really. It has restored my faith in humanity."
Neighborhood inspector Richard Lane, of Hampshire Police, described the attack as an "appalling assault."
He said: "Whilst this type of incident is extremely rare, this was an appalling assault on an elderly and vulnerable man.
"We would appeal to anyone who was in the vicinity between 8.15 pm and 9 pm on Saturday, September 14 and who may have seen a group of four males on bikes in the area."
