Police renew appeal for witnesses to assault after Bluewater's Christmas Light Night event
Published: 00:00, 06 December 2016
Updated: 10:49, 06 December 2016
Police are still appealing for witnesses to an assault reported after a Christmas event at Kent's biggest shopping centre.
Bluewater kicked off its festive celebrations with Light Night on the evening of Thursday, November 10, and shortly after its seasonal lights switch-on at 9.30pm, a man in his 20s was attacked by a group of teenagers.
As many as eight youths are said to have verbally abused the victim as he walked through the Lower Winter Garden food court and then assaulted him in the Winter Garden car park, which landed him in hospital with cuts to his face.
The suspects have been described as aged between 15 and 17-years-old, white, male and wearing dark coloured tracksuits. Some of the group were also believed to have been wearing black gilets.
Officers first issued an appeal for witnesses on Tuesday, November 15.
Investigating officer PC Paul Growns said: "The incident was reported to have happened after the Christmas light switch-on earlier in the evening at Bluewater, so there would have been a lot of people around who may have witnessed this incident.
"They may have heard the group shouting at the man and dismissed this as a group mucking around and not thought much about it, but this incident left this young man with nasty cuts to his face which required hospital treatment and he was understandably left distressed.
"I would encourage anyone with information to please get in touch."
Anyone with information is asked to call police on 01474 366149, quoting reference XY/044996/16, or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555111.
More by this author
Tom Acres