Victim of alleged racist assault waited six weeks for police to take hate crime statement

The victim of an alleged assault has spoken of his “disgust” at having to wait six weeks for police to take a witness statement after the suspected hate crime, according to the Wiltshire Times. The victim says the delayed police response to his assault may now mean the perpetrators evade capture.

Braham Aissaoui, 42, claims he was repeatedly kicked and punched by thugs who called him a “a Muslim and a terrorist” as he was walking home at around 6pm on 22 October.

Mr Aissaoui said he was “pounced upon by two men at the top of the steps which lead off St Margaret’s Street, close to Bradford on Avon town centre.”

Mr Aissaoui alleges one man punched him in the face and when he fell to the ground, both men “began to batter him.”

Mr Aissaoui believes the alleged assault, which left him with bruising to his face and body,  was racially aggravated. He said “I was really shaken up. It came completely out of the blue. When they shouted that I was a Muslim and a terrorist, lots of witnesses fled the scene. A car then nearly ran me over because I fell onto the road as I was punched.

“My partner has come over from Trowbridge to stay with me for a few weeks in case it happens again. I don’t feel safe walking around town.”

Mr Aissaoui expressed “disgust” at having to wait six weeks for officers to visit him at home and take a statement in connection with the alleged assault. He said: “I feel like I have been let down badly by the police. There has been no victim support and they didn’t take any evidence when it happened.

“I’m angry, frustrated and disappointed at both the fact I was attacked in daylight and the fact the police don’t seem to have taken it seriously enough. I worry that the attackers are still out there and might do it again to someone else.”

A spokesman for Wiltshire Police confirmed they were investigating the assault as a “potential hate crime incident.”

The spokesman said: “We attended the scene and spoke directly with the victim and arrangements were made to obtain a statement and progress the enquiry. We take all reports of violence very seriously and it is unfortunate that in this case that there was a delay due to other immediate operational commitments.”