The heartbreaking impact of a brutal gang attack on a teenage student is laid bare in the first pictures of him since the life-changing ordeal.

Daniel Ezzedine - photographed this week at a therapy session - has been left with extensive brain damage following the racially-motivated assault in Canterbury city centre in 2019.

Now, KentOnline has launched a fundraising appeal to help support his devastated family, who have racked up huge debts to help care for him in Germany.

Daniel spent more than a year in hospital following the attack, in which he was beaten with a bag of bricks and kicked full force in the head as he lay defenceless on the ground.

Nine young people have so far been convicted in relation to the incident, including six who were last week spared jail for their part in the events of that day.

KentOnline last week carried a special report on the crown court proceedings, which included heartbreaking testimony given by one of Daniel’s four older brothers.

He told how Daniel, 19, is now unable to speak or read and needs 24/7 care.

“He can do hardly anything for himself,” said Daniel’s brother. “We look after him at home with very little help.

“He doesn’t understand much of what we tell him. We have to use pictures and hand signals to let him know what we mean.”

The Ezzedine family has been left struggling with debt and depression, as they provide Daniel with round-the-clock care in a second-floor flat in Mönchengladbach, which is not adapted to his needs.

They are forced to wheel him around in an office chair, as the apartment is not large enough to accommodate a wheelchair, while someone must always sleep beside him on the floor.

Daniel’s mother has been hardest hit by the ordeal, and now suffers with severe depression.

A fundraising campaign has been launched by the KM Group to support Daniel's family

“She was a very optimistic woman,” said Daniel’s brother. “She now spends her whole life caring for Daniel.

“She can’t believe the healthy, cheerful boy who brought joy to our family is now sad and depressed and can’t do anything for himself. My father is also depressed as he’s worried about Daniel and the debts we’ve had to take on to look after him.”

When Daniel was rushed to hospital after the attack he was given just a 30% chance of survival.

A fundraising campaign helped raise £16,000 to cover much of the costs of his family flying to the UK and staying in accommodation close to King’s College Hospital in London, where he was a patient for more than a year.

It is hoped the new appeal will alleviate some of the financial burdens Daniel’s family now face.

Joe Walker, editor of KentOnline's sister paper the Kentish Gazette, said: “It is heartbreaking to read of the impact this horrific attack has had on Daniel and his family.

“The city’s community rallied to support them when Daniel was in hospital, and we hope they can come together again to help them during Daniel’s recovery.

“Any donations are gratefully received and will be transferred directly to Daniel’s family.”

To donate, and for more information about the appeal, click here.

To get the latest updates in ongoing cases, police appeals and criminals put behind bars, click here

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