Detectives call for Hove bike-rage witnesses

3:30pm Tuesday 9th November 2010 in News By Rebecca Evans

Detectives are hoping a “remorseful” cyclist who witnessed a road-rage attack that left a man in a coma will come forward.

The 52-year-old suffered serious head injuries during an argument with three cyclists in Portland Road, Hove, on Sunday.

One of the trio punched the victim once in the head, which has left him fighting for his life in hospital.

Yesterday, officers were trawling through CCTV images taken from shops near the scene.

They appear to show one of the three male cyclists staying to help after the other two had fled.

Detective Sergeant Julian Deans, from Brighton and Hove CID, appealed for him to come forward.

He said: “One of the cyclists stays to help the victim. It looks like he is feeling remorse about what happened. He then leaves the scene.

“We would urge him to come forward.”

Witnesses are asked to call 0845 6070999 quoting Operation Globe.

Comments(13)

voiceofthescoombe says...
3:38pm Tue 9 Nov 10

er did'nt somebody on here admit to being a cyclist who
a called the police
b administered firsts aid
c spent 3 hours with the police already?

Report this post »

Spanners says...
3:54pm Tue 9 Nov 10

voiceofthescoombe wrote:
er did'nt somebody on here admit to being a cyclist who a called the police b administered firsts aid c spent 3 hours with the police already?
No, they were not one of the cyclists but a passer by on foot

Report this post »

mark by the sea says...
4:54pm Tue 9 Nov 10

seems the police have no chance catching him! i did hear the guys arrested for the body on the golf course also walked!

Report this post »

Rocker says...
5:07pm Tue 9 Nov 10

Giving a few details might help.....as for example,were the cyclists in a group,what were their ages,genders,appeara
nces etc. What direction was they going in. Did the speak with local accents. What clothing was they wearing.Might help people put someone in the frame. The detail provided is astonishingly light.

Report this post »

Savi says...
6:08pm Tue 9 Nov 10

Oh man, not all this again! Please take a look at the last two days coverage about this incident to get the full details. All of the above has been covered my myself over and over again in the comments sections...

Thanks..

Report this post »

frombrighton says...
6:26pm Tue 9 Nov 10

I had heard that a cyclist had been knocked off his bike by an opening car door - as a cyclist that is one of my main worries about cycling along next to parked cars - a friend was nearly knocked off his bike in a similar incident and I was just behind - I can understand cyclists getting extremely annoyed and being very angry about something like this happening although beating someone up is probably a slight over-reaction, although it could have been the schock which brought about such an extreme reaction. Drivers just need to be very aware when opening car doors of cyclists approaching - the cyclist can not take avoiding action - if they swerve away there is a good chance of them being hit by a car approaching from behind.

Report this post »

Savi says...
7:29pm Tue 9 Nov 10

LOOK, this isn't about who should have done whatever. This is about Tony, the victim being put into a COMA by a cowardly thug, and trying to find that person ASAP... No-one deserves to by put into a coma because of a simple mistake. They guy who hit Tony was NOT even the person who got struck by the car door! Understand???!!! Just read a bit of background will you.

Report this post »

wobblybike says...
7:45pm Tue 9 Nov 10

Savi wrote:
LOOK, this isn't about who should have done whatever. This is about Tony, the victim being put into a COMA by a cowardly thug, and trying to find that person ASAP... No-one deserves to by put into a coma because of a simple mistake. They guy who hit Tony was NOT even the person who got struck by the car door! Understand???!!! Just read a bit of background will you.
Calm down Savi.....Were you there?

Report this post »

Christophe Hawtree says...
10:19pm Tue 9 Nov 10

I am appalled at the stupid comments.

Well done, Savi, who witnessed this terrible event, for helping to keep comments on the right track.

A simple fact: a terrific local fellow - character, if you will -, the greengrocer Tony Magdi, whose shop is at the corner of Portland Road and Westbourne Gardens, is now at the Princess Royal caught between death and life, or living death.

He has never meant harm to anybody, he is one of those people with whom many speak each day and somehow feel better even on their glummest day. He has himself been through tough times, and emerged smiling. I just so hope that he does so now, but it's a tough call.

The fools might make their stupid comments but the mood round here is one of grief eased by the hope, please, that Tony pulls through.

He had just collected a visitor from the airport, brought him to Hove, and that visitor went upstairs, only to look from the window and see Tony fall victim to that attack.

Whoever committed that assault would surely find it easier, tough as it might seem, to go to the police all the sooner.

That is what Tony would respect.

Report this post »

jamus77 says...
10:55pm Tue 9 Nov 10

frombrighton wrote:
I had heard that a cyclist had been knocked off his bike by an opening car door - as a cyclist that is one of my main worries about cycling along next to parked cars - a friend was nearly knocked off his bike in a similar incident and I was just behind - I can understand cyclists getting extremely annoyed and being very angry about something like this happening although beating someone up is probably a slight over-reaction, although it could have been the schock which brought about such an extreme reaction. Drivers just need to be very aware when opening car doors of cyclists approaching - the cyclist can not take avoiding action - if they swerve away there is a good chance of them being hit by a car approaching from behind.
Irrelevant. Accidents happen. A man was violently assaulted. No excuses.

Report this post »

Andy R says...
12:57am Wed 10 Nov 10

Really shocked to hear it's Tony Magdi. Well...it would have been appalling whoever it was, but Tony....?

Report this post »

Virgil says...
12:36pm Wed 10 Nov 10

This was an accident, albeit possibly caused by negligence on somebody’s part, and accidents happen. The aggressive response of the unaffected cyclist was totally unwarranted and criminal. It was also the act of a coward because no self-respecting man, having felled another, does not wait to see the consequences of his action. Somebody knows the culprit; do you have a neighbour who cycles regularly but has left his bike at home for the last few days? Did you hear him boasting of his prowess before he realised the seriousness of the injury? If so, please have the moral courage to do your civic duty and turn the criminal in to the authorities.
Tony Magdi is a thoroughly respectable and well liked local small businessman whose generosity is legend and I wish him a full and speedy recovery.

Report this post »

Saoirse says...
7:07pm Wed 10 Nov 10

My thoughts are with Tony, such a good, generous man, I pray he will recover fully from this tragic,shocking incident.I'm feeling so sad and helpless wishing this wasn't real. Love and support to his close family and friends.X

Report this post »

click2find

About cookies

We want you to enjoy your visit to our website. That's why we use cookies to enhance your experience. By staying on our website you agree to our use of cookies. Find out more about the cookies we use.

I agree