Appeal for information after teenager attacked in Nairn High Street
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A boxing coach has appealed for information after his 18-year-old son was attacked in Nairn High Street on Friday evening.
Kevin Brooks, who runs Nairn Boxing Club, came across the teenager lying in a pool of blood outside the town's Co-op.
"I was walking along the High Street about 9pm when I saw this body on the pavement and went over to assist," he said.
"I turned him over and his face was covered in blood. I got such a shock when I realised it was my own son.
"His younger brother was with me so it was a terrible shock for him too.
"There were some witnesses who told me a car stopped and some young guys got out and started beating him up.
"He got a broken nose, broken teeth, injuries to his ribs and back and is still recovering in Raigmore Hospital."
Mr Brooks has appealed on social media for anyone with information to come forward and report what they know to the police.
A police officer appeared on the scene as he and passers-by tended to his son and called an ambulance.
Mr Brooks described how the family then had an anxious wait for a call from the hospital to tell them that their son was going to be OK.
"It was the longest time of our lives waiting up all night on that call, but thank God he is over the worst," he said.
"The injuries he received were quite serious and he's likely to be in hospital receiving treatment for a few days yet.
"This was a nasty opportunist attack and there's too much of this happening in Nairn.
"Through the young people we meet at the club I am hearing reports of these random attacks happening and some parents are frightened to let their kids out at night.
"We have only been able to visit our son briefly in the hospital because of Covid, but we need to get this stamped out now."
Sergeant Dale Hansen, from Nairn Police Station, said: "We received a report that an 18-year-old man was assaulted in the High Street area of Nairn, around 9pm on Friday, April 23.
"As a result, the victim was taken to hospital with serious, but not life-threatening, injuries.
"Officers are following a positive line of enquiry."
