DUNFERMLINE: Helpless ex-soldier attacked by youths

Helpless ex-soldier attacked by youths

By Lars Niven

A DISABLED Fife pensioner yesterday recounted how he was thrown from his electric scooter by a group of youths who then walked off laughing, leaving him lying helpless on the ground.

Hope Cairns (87), who spent three-and-a-half years in a Japanese prisoner of war camp, was attacked on Wednesday afternoon as he walked his dogs in Dunfermline’s Rex Park.

The retired coach builder, who can barely walk even with the aid of a stick, was forced to lie on the pathway until passers-by helped him back onto his scooter.

Recovering at home with his wife, Mr Cairns told The Courier he couldn’t believe what had happened to him.

“The world’s in a terrible state,” he said.

“They’ve no thought for people.

“To get a shock like that at my age could have killed me—it’s as simple as that.”

He said he spotted his three attackers on their bikes, but that he never gave them a second thought.

He said one of the youths spoke to him cheekily, but that he was used to that and simply ignored him.

“I thought they were just trying to be funny,” he said.

Moments later, however, he found his path into the park blocked.

“What could I do?” he asked.

“You can’t just put your foot down and run into them.

“The next thing I knew, they threw me off and I couldn’t move.

“I can’t walk, never mind anything else, so I just had to lie there and shout for help.”

Another dog walker came over to see what had happened.

In spite of his predicament Mr Cairns still had time to think of others, telling the good Samaritan not to try to lift him back onto his scooter for fear that he may suffer a heart attack.

Taking this advice, the man went away to get assistance.

Mr Cairns was eventually helped back onto his scooter and was able to make his way home.

He had no doubt the youths intended to knock him over.

“It was deliberate ... it wasn’t like an accident,” he said.

“It’s terrible that it’s not even safe to go round the park.”

Liberal Democrat MSP for Dunfermline West Jim Tolson said, “I am absolutely shocked.

“It is a despicable thing to do to anybody, but to carry out an attack on a defenceless old man who fought for his country is beyond comprehension.”

Mr Tolson, who lives near Rex Park, added, “I hope the family and friends of these callous youths will be just as quick to get on the phone to the police if they hear them bragging about this.

“They have to be apprehended.

“If they do this to an old gentleman like this, goodness knows what they might do next.”

A police spokesman confirmed they were investigating the incident.

“We would like any member of the public who may have seen this incident to contact us. We are particularly interested in speaking to the people who kindly helped the elderly man,” he said.

“We would ask them to contact us on 01592 251111 or via the confidential Crimestoppers hotline on 0800 555 111.”