AN unprovoked and violent attack outside a nightclub resulted in a 19-year-old from St Albans waking up in hospital on Christmas Day and his family fearing the worst. The victim, who has spoken about his horrific ordeal to the Herts Advertiser, was attack

AN unprovoked and violent attack outside a nightclub resulted in a 19-year-old from St Albans waking up in hospital on Christmas Day and his family fearing the worst.

The victim, who has spoken about his horrific ordeal to the Herts Advertiser, was attacked at about 4am on December 25 as he left Batchwood Hall nightclub, where he had celebrated Christmas Eve with friends.

Speaking exclusively to the Herts Advertiser, the victim explained that he was walking with his younger sister to a pre-booked taxi in the bottom car park at the nightclub when they saw a small car speeding around without any headlights on.

As the car drove past the victim, who wants to remain anonymous, he tapped on the window in an attempt to make the driver aware that her lights were not on.

The university student continued: "Three girls with massive attitudes then stopped the car and got out to speak to me and my sister.

"I told them that their lights were off and one of them turned around and realised the lights were in fact off, but then one of them came up to me and slapped me around the face for nothing. That's the last thing I remember."

The girls drove off but then a 4x4 pulled up and a man leapt out before punching the victim on the side of the face so hard that he fell to the ground unconscious.

The victim continued: "I woke up on Christmas Day in hospital. It was dreadful, I felt awful. I had bruises and part of my face was just killing me. On Boxing Day my face came up even more and was every single colour you can imagine.

"I couldn't eat properly as my lips were so swollen and by New Year's Eve I had massive scabs over my face and was suffering from a lot of whiplash."

Although he was discharged with bruising, cuts and swelling, the victim's mother warned that the consequences could have been far worse.

CT scan

She said: "He underwent a CT scan on Christmas Day because doctors were concerned he had bleeding on the brain and fractured eye sockets.

"We were called at 5am and had to go to hospital terrified that our son was going to die at this special time of year, leaving his grandparents at home - visiting at this special time - also praying he would be OK."

She continued: "There was no argument, no fight and he had absolutely no chance to even defend himself. Perhaps it was a fun Christmas 'dare' to try and execute a 'one punch manslaughter' - who knows? But he could easily have died - next time another person might not be as fit as he is."

She added: "His sister was very traumatised. Her brother was knocked out cold and as he lay in a pool of blood from severe cuts to his head, she believed he was dead.

"People should be aware that this attacker has not been caught and the next person he punches for a laugh might not be so lucky as this mild-mannered young man. But anyone who does this is obviously a great danger to the public."

Both the victim and his mother have raised concerns about how seriously police are treating the incident.

Despite their request for a witness appeal to be sent out to the press, the Herts Advertiser was never told about the assault and it never appeared on the Herts Police website as other incidents normally do.

A spokesperson insisted that a press release was written on January 4 but there appeared to have been a technical glitch when it was sent out by email.

She said that a full investigation into the incident was continuing and appealed for any witnesses or those with information to come forward.

In particular, the police want to speak to the girls in the car driving past before the assault.

They are all thought to be of black origin and the victim's attacker was a black male.

Anyone with information should call PC Barny Fryer on 0845 33 00 222 or, alternatively call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.