The family of a young man with a disability who was attacked in Co Armagh have released a photograph of the injuries he suffered during the terrifying assault.
Callum Crawford (21) sustained serious facial injuries when he was assaulted by a gang of six teenagers in Portadown on Saturday.
As well as cuts and bruises to his face, Callum is understood to have been left very shaken. He was taken to hospital for treatment following the attack.
His family hope that by releasing a photograph of the injuries he suffered that people who witnessed the attack will come forward.
Many friends of the young man have also published an image of him on their social media accounts in a bid to urge people to contact police with information.
The PSNI are treating the attack, which happened in the High Street Mall area, as a “disability hate crime”.
Sinn Féin councillor Paul Duffy said it was a “horrific attack”.
“I am shocked, as are so many people, by this attack on this vulnerable young man,” he said.
“I appeal to anyone with information to come forward so that those responsible can be caught.”
A police spokesman said: “It was reported that at around 5.20pm a teenage boy was attacked by six other teenage boys, sustaining serious facial injuries.
“We are treating this assault as a disability hate crime.
“It is completely unacceptable that a young man going peacefully about his business should be targeted in this way.”
The spokesman added: “We have had a great response from local retailers when carrying out CCTV checks and are following a number of positive lines of inquiry.
Police are appealing to anyone who witnessed a young male being assaulted within the pavilion of High Street Mall,...
Posted by Police Armagh, Banbridge & Craigavon on Saturday, 24 February 2024
“There is no place for hate in our society and we take reports of these types of crimes incredibly seriously.
“We all have a role to play in eliminating this behaviour from our community and we would continue to appeal to anyone who may have been in the area and witnessed anything suspicious to contact us.”
