A daughter has made a heartbreaking plea for help to identify the brute who left her dad a broken man. John Lowe, 58, was left with severe head injuries after being attacked in Salford's Clarendon Park on Valentine's Day.
A month later John has been left unable to speak or walk, and only randomly opens his eyes. The father-of-three was assaulted at 10am and police are treating the incident as attempted murder.
His daughter, Lily, 35, has issued an emotional plea on Tik Tok for those with information to come forward. She has launched a campaign #Justice4John and intends to visit Salford on Monday to distribute appeal leaflets.
Lily told the Manchester Evening News: "My dad is a lovable rogue, but never violent. The community in the Clarendon Park area is shocked by what has happened. He is a big character locally. He is a gentle man, who is a bit like Frank Gallagher off the Shameless series. He would help an old lady carry her shopping, then if she gave him £2 he would use it to buy a can of beer. He was full of life.
"He was a cheeky chap in his younger days, but he has never harmed anyone. The word on the streets in Salford is that it was an unprovoked attack. He has been moved out of intensive care onto a neuro ward. But he has very little quality of life at the moment. He may be put on a slow stream rehabilitation but he was badly beaten and suffered severe head trauma. The diagnosis at the moment is that he will be severely disabled at best."
Lily, who as Lily Dee aka councilestatequeen, has one million online followers through her comedy sketches and anti-drugs campainging, is hoping her social media prescence will help GMP get the information they need to bring John's attacker to justice.
In a Tik Tok video she says: "My dad, John, was discovered unconscious in Clarendon Park in Salford after being badly beaten. This was around 10am - broad daylight." GMP arrested a 32-year-old man on March 2nd on suspicion of attempted murder, who has since been released on bail.
Lily says in the video: "This brutal attack has left him with life-changing injuries and has altered our family forever. We were used to seeing our dad full of energy, the life and soul of the party. This attack has made him a shell of a person and all we can do his witness him deteriorate right infront of our eyes.
"He is lay in a hospital bed severely brain damaged. There is that much trauma to his brain. He can't talk, he can't walk, he can't do anything, he is in a vegetative state. He will never be the same person again.
"I beg you, anyone, that was on Clarendon Park, please be a hero and come forward. He didn't deserve this. Please come forward with some information, identify the attacker, and bring peace and a bit of justice to our family.
"This monster is on the streets of Salford. He could do this to your son, your brother, your dad."
Anyone with information is asked to contact police on 101 or through the LiveChat function on www.gmp.police.uk quoting log number 1218 of 14/02/23. Alternatively, details can be shared anonymously via the independent charity Crimestoppers, on 0800 555 111.
