Man Beaten for Not Having Cigarette

Source from:  By BEN ASHFORD 20 Aug 2008 08/21/2008

Broken Britain victim Martin, 25, was waiting for a taxi after a night out when passing yobs demanded a fag. When he explained he didn't smoke the three louts inexplicably tore into him – punching him to the floor and kicking his head like a football. Martin was left dazed and drenched in blood by the frenzied attack in Stockport, Greater Manchester – the latest chilling example of the booze-fuelled yob violence blighting Britain's streets. He managed to stagger into a cab and make it home where horrified girlfriend Mahjabeen Ansari called an ambulance. Distraught relatives released this harrowing hospital photo of gas engineer Martin hooked up to a life-support machine to try and shame his lawless attackers into giving themselves up. Cops say he's "fighting hard" – but brave Martin was gravely ill in a medically-induced coma last night and faces the likelihood of permanent brain damage. Tearful Mahjabeen, 25, his partner of three years, said: "Martin had gone to the taxi rank and was asked for a cigarette. "He said no and they just launched into him. It was three on one – he had no chance. "We have just bought a house and are doing it up. We were going to do the wallpapering on Saturday so Martin had stopped drinking early because he wanted to be ready to get started the next morning. "He came home in a taxi and came straight to the bedroom. He was unsteady on his feet and the right side of his face was covered in blood. He was crying and not making any sense. "I called his friend who is a nurse who tended his wounds. But he just deteriorated. I thought he had fallen asleep and tried to wake him but he got agitated and shouted “please get off me' and “leave me alone'." Martin, who works for the National Grid, had left a town-centre pub in the early hours of Saturday with two pals. His mates got into a taxi but he was set upon at 2am while he tried to hail another one. His three attackers, in their late teens or early 20s and one wearing a hooded top, continued their onslaught even as he lay defenceless on the ground. Mahjabeen added: "He is very, very poorly and fighting for his life. I am devastated. Martin is really popular, very loyal and outgoing. "We have a big group of friends and we had been looking forward to getting the house ready together. We were due to arrange sofas the day after he was attacked. "As soon as I wake up I go to see him. I am there from nine in the morning until nine at night just to be with him. "He is my main priority. I will look after him." Making a direct appeal for Martin's attackers to turn themselves in, Mahjabeen wept: "Whoever did it has to hand themselves in. "Your actions have consequences - and I am staring at those consequences in an intensive care unit. "You can't get away with it and think nothing serious has happened. His family is distraught. He is the best person I know." Despite expert medical care at Salford's Hope Hospital police sources said last night Martin's injuries were so appalling his life was "in the lap of the Gods". Appealing for witnesses Det Chief Insp Simon Retford of Greater Manchester Police, said: "At the moment Martin's family is distraught by what has happened, but luckily Martin is fighting hard. "I am appealing to the consciences of those responsible, and those that know them - come forward and explain yourselves before we track you down. "Your choice is very simple - either come forward now or we will bring this to your doorstep." Dee Edwards of campaign group Mothers Against Murder and Aggression said of the sickening attack: "It's unthinkable that someone could be beaten up like this for merely refusing someone a cigarette. "Sadly this attack speak volumes about the state of our country. "Drink and drugs are rife and a small minority of young people are causing mayhem on our streets." Enditem