Partially blind man assaulted on Southampton Common

Ian Harris was grabbed and threatened after asking a man whose extendable dog lead was stretched across the path if he could get by.

The man, who was with a woman and is believed to be aged in his sixties, came up to Mr Harris, 38, and manhandled him, aggressively accused him of being a fraud and a disgrace, and threatened to report him for carrying a white stick for no reason.

Mr Harris, who was left unable to see anything to the left after a car crash, was left feeling very shocked and vulnerable by the incident, which happened between 2.45pm and 3.15pm last Saturday.

PC Ian Swan said: "It appears to have affected him quite significantly. He was very shaken and upset by this. It was not until two days later that Ian felt he was able to come forward to speak to the police."

The attacker is described as white and about 6ft tall, slim to medium build, with short grey hair. He appeared to look quite well groomed. He was believed to be wearing a bluish grey fleece and had with him a plastic ball throwing stick.

The lady he was with was described as white, in her sixties, slightly shorter than the man. She was of medium build with short dark hair, which had some grey in it and may have been tied into a ponytail. She was believed to have been wearing a green wax cotton coat. They had with them a black collie type dog on an extendable lead.

Anyone with any information about the attack should call PC Swan at Portswood police station on 101, or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.