A 10-year-old boy named Freddie Nicholls was attacked by a man who ‘jumped out of a bush’ and ‘grabbed him’. Freddie was riding his scooter through Sedgley Hall Farm Park over the weekend when the incident occurred.
The attacker hurt Freddie by dropping him to the ground and kicking him in the face. Freddie’s mother, Laura, who is 33 years old, said that Freddie is “really not okay” after the attack. He has been very quiet and withdrawn since it happened. Laura mentioned that Freddie doesn’t want to go outside anymore and keeps asking if the attacker has been caught.
Laura, who lives in Upper Gornal, shared with BirminghamLive that the attack happened around 2.30 pm on Saturday, July 20. Freddie was on his way back from a friend’s house and heading to play football with other friends when a man, hiding in the bushes, started calling out to him. Freddie tried to ignore the man and ride past him, but he had to slow down because the path was muddy. That’s when the man jumped out, grabbed Freddie by the waist, and threw him to the ground.
Freddie struggled to escape, but the man dropped him and kicked him in the face. The scared boy managed to get back on his scooter and went to find his friends. One of his friend’s moms called the police right away.
When Laura heard about the attack, she rushed to Freddie’s side. He had grazes on his legs and knees, and significant bruising and swelling on his cheek. He also had a swollen eye, grazes on his face, and a fat lip. Freddie couldn’t get a good look at the attacker because he was grabbed from behind.
The police are asking anyone who saw what happened to come forward with information. A spokesperson from West Midlands Police said they are investigating the assault, which took place on Saturday afternoon. The attacker knocked Freddie to the ground and tried to steal his bag. Anyone with information should contact the police.
