Disabled pensioner who is just 4ft6 says being attacked outside home 'changed my life'
Disabled pensioner who is just 4ft6 says being attacked outside home 'changed my life'
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A disabled pensioner says the vicious mugging he suffered a decade ago has changed the course of life forever. Alan Barnes, who is just 4ft6in tall and has complex disabilities, had his simple life turned upside down 10 years ago when a drug addict mugged him outside his home in Gateshead exactly 10 years ago today. Richard Gatiss, the callous thief responsible, pushed him to the ground before rifling through his pockets for cash.
Alan was left terrified after the attack while moving his wheelie bin outside his bungalow. But the disabled pensioner's plight was shared in a Newcastle Chronicle article, prompting an outpouring of public support. Alan became £300,000 richer and his ordeal was discussed and abhorred by Brits up and down the country.
Marking a decade since the attack, 77-year-old Alan explained how he is still recognised while walking down the street. Alan said: "I don't think about him or the attack. You hear of a lot of other stuff that's much worse. It was nothing compared to some other things. It did change my life. I got to know a lot of new people. I'm very thankful for what I got so I'm putting back in what I can.".
Alan was born with a series of defects, including height and growth problems, after his mum contracted German measles during pregnancy. His disabilities mean he is registered blind, stands at just 4ft 6ins and weighs less than six stone. Alan, however went on to live an independent life and was well-known around Low Fell in Gateshead, where he still lives. Alan was moving the wheelie bin outside his bungalow, on Hillside Place in Low Fell, on the evening of Sunday, January 25 2015 when Gatiss appeared out of the darkness.
