The boy, 15, left needing over a hundred stitches after a brutal attack

A 15-year-old boy was left needing more than 100 stitches to his face after being the victim of a vicious attack. Bradley* was left with a broken nose, a permanent scar and long-term pain after an incident in which he claims eight to 10 other boys chased him around Bath and threw a ceramic pot at him.

Bradley was rushed to hospital and placed on ‘red alert’ after going into shock. But despite his injuries, the police arrested him a few days later – as a counter-claim had been made that he had chased the group of boys with machetes into Victoria Park.

Avon and Somerset Police have confirmed that a five-month investigation has been carried out after a teenager suffered facial and head injuries when a pot was thrown at him in Royal Victoria Park, Bath, on Boxing Day 2023 But as no CCTV footage has been found or anything from house-to-house inquiries in the days since the incident and no evidentiary statements have yet been provided by either party, the investigation into both incidents has been dropped.

READ MORE: Popular charity superstore returns to Cabot Circus

READ MORE: Outrage from motorists over proposed road tax

But for Bradley, the trauma of the attack stayed with him. He had to go under anesthesia to the hospital to have his nose broken, a process that left him in long-term pain after eight months.

Jess’s aunt says the scars on his face made him too scared to go back to school and he completed the rest of his schooling via video link. He took his GCSEs in a cabin on campus so other students couldn’t see him.

Bradley’s aunt Jess said the attack, which happened at around 6pm on St John’s Road, left him in a terrible state: “There was blood all over his face, all over his shirt, mud, glass, bits of pot of ceramics. “

The incident began when Bradley was out with a friend and his friend’s friend. According to Jess, they saw a boy she didn’t get along with anymore. Jess says they started arguing and pushing each other, until the boy threatened to call his brother and get him involved. Jess says a group of boys then arrived and chased Bradley and his friend, who got into a car to try to get away from them.

The mob continued to chase them on foot until they found a pot on St John’s Road and threw it through the windscreen. Bradley was rushed to the hospital, where he spent 90 minutes getting stitches.

Bradley went to stay with his aunt, but on Sunday, December 28, the police came to arrest the 15-year-old. It was claimed that he chased them all with machetes in Victoria Park. But when he went to the police station, the sergeant in charge seemed too unwell to be interviewed and let him go.

The injuries to Bradley’s face were so bad they scared Jess’ children: “My kids wouldn’t even go near him, they were scared of him.”

Bradley’s confidence in the police was shaken by the ordeal: “He doesn’t trust the police now because they arrested them. They said there was nothing they could do,” his aunt said.

“They said they put him down until my nephew talks. But he’s a 15-year-old boy, he won’t talk because he’s scared. There’s eight to 10 of them. He doesn’t know who they all are.

“They fled the country, some of them. I’m very angry, I’m very angry. It broke my heart to see my nephew go through this and the police didn’t do anything.”

A spokesman for Avon and Somerset Police said: “A five-month investigation has been carried out after a teenager suffered facial and head injuries when a plant pot was said to have been thrown at him. The incident was reported at 22.06 and was said to have been taken four hours earlier, police spoke to the victim two hours later at the hospital.

“A related investigation was also carried out after a counter-allegation was received at 7.36pm on the same day which reported that a teenager had been confronted an hour earlier by two other teenagers who were armed with large knives. Officers arrested two teenagers on suspicion of fighting and clothing, and a baseball bat was confiscated.

“After that they were released and will not face any further action. Officers carried out a review of CCTV footage and carried out house-to-house inquiries in the days following the incident but no footage of the incident was found.”

The statement continued: “None of the parties involved have yet provided evidentiary statements that are key to the progress of our investigations. As a result, in May the decision was made to file both investigations due to insufficient evidence. If we receive a trial account, we will evaluate this information.

“Anyone with information should call 101 and quote reference 5223314867.”

(*- names have been changed).