A DISABLED man was attacked and abused outside his house in Southampton.

Simon Phillips was beaten and verbally abused in a row over his Asperger’s Syndrome.

The 40-year-old from Bitterne is now too afraid to go outside after being left with black eyes, a broken nose and a finger which may need surgery.

Mr Phillips told the Daily Echo his ordeal began last Saturday at around 5.30pm, outside Tesco Express in West End Road.

Mr Phillips was sat a bus stop when he says a man with children walked past and began to hurl abuse at him.

He added: “I turned around and stood up and he hurled abuse at me while making derogatory hand gestures.”

Mr Phillips shouted back upon which the man “got into his face and was intimidating”.

The argument escalated and turned physical outside Mr Phillips’ house in Keats Road.

Mr Phillips claims the man refused to get off his property and became violent.

He says he was punched in the face and knocked to the ground.

Blood pouring from his face, Mr Phillips said he broke his finger trying to defend himself.

Mr Phillips’ mum, Joan, called an ambulance. He was taken to hospital and later discharged.

On Thursday, doctors at Royal South Hants Hospital gave him a splint for his broken finger and said he may need surgery.

Mr Phillips has not left the house since the incident. He has cancelled plans to watch Saints play Newcastle this afternoon.

“It’s really knocked my confidence,” he said. I’m fearful of going outside to be ridiculed, having people pointing their fingers and muttering things and to make me feel worse and worse.

“We’re very down and very low at the moment.”

Mrs Phillips added: “Emotionally it has done quite a lot of harm to him. Let’s hope that things take the proper course because people like Simon, who have got difficulties, are not being supported enough.”

A Southampton man has been arrested and bailed until June.