A Scots mum has demanded justice for her son who was brutally attacked in a Thai gym and is now stranded and facing the loss of his eyesight.
Frances McGowan was left “devastated” by the “horrific” assault on her oldest child Gary Reed, 46, while he enjoyed the holiday of a lifetime.
Gary was struck in the head by another gymgoer with a 1kg metal dumbbell bar after declining to give up his turn on a bench press.
The charity worker had to ward off the thug who continued the assault - which was caught on CCTV - as blood gushed from his gaping wound.
Frances, 66, said police in the city of Pattaya in Thailand know the identity of the suspect, but he continues to walk free.
The pensioner, from Glasgow, wants the man - understood to be a UK resident and in his late 50s - charged with attempted murder.
She told the Record how Gary desperately needs a £15,000 surgery on his right eye socket in two weeks time to avoid losing his sight.
Doctors informed Gary it’s too dangerous to fly back to the UK for treatment.
The dad-of-two, who was attacked at the Coco Fitness gym in Pattaya on Monday, called his mum from hospital to tell her what happened.
Frances said: “It was horrific and totally unprovoked. My son was nice to this person. He simply asked to get on with his exercises and said the other man could get on when he finished.
“There were several other benches around my son. He could’ve taken any of them.”
Gary told her how he was approached by the stranger at the gym who claimed he’d been waiting to use the same piece of equipment.
After telling the Englishman he wanted to finish his set, Gary was slammed in the face with a seven-inch long 1kg metal dumbbell.
CCTV footage shows Gary lying on the bench before the man smashed him in the head.
Frances said: “In the video, you see Gary get off the bench and stagger around and this man laid into him again.
“Gary was confused. Until he actually watched the video, he couldn’t remember what had happened. He told me he thought at first that something had fallen on top of him.
“He had triple vision and could see this guy coming at him. Gary managed to get him into a headlock and told him, ‘I’ll let you go if you just go’.”
The suspect managed to flee the scene but it’s understood he was identified from his gym membership details.
Frances said her son had been in regular contact with the Thai police and kept her appraised of the investigation.
She said: “The police know who he is. The suspect allegedly sold his business in the UK and moved to Thailand about five months ago. He’s supposed to be a martial arts expert.
“I’m told he has turned up at the police station to give a statement. Apparently he offered my son £2000 when the surgery is going to cost £15,000.
“One of the police officers laughed and showed him the size of my son’s medical bills.
“It’s all different in Thailand. You don’t get locked up until you go to court. This man is walking around free.
“He needs to be brought to justice.”
Gary suffered a fractured eye socket and bleeding on his retina. He needed a CT scan and 60 stitches to close his wounds.
Frances said: “My son called me from hospital and sent me photos of the injuries. I was absolutely horrified and devastated. He’s in such a mess.
“His eye is OK, in that he can see out of it, but every now and then he gets double or triple vision.
“But the doctors told him the bone of his eye socket is totally gone. It needs to be rebuilt with titanium.
“In two weeks time, when the swelling goes down, the doctors say he needs to have the surgery costing £15,000. If he doesn’t have it done, his eye will drop into the back of his head and he will lose his eye and his sight.
“It’s urgent but we just haven’t got that sort of money to give to him so my daughter has set up a fundraising page.”
The gran added: “Gary isn’t sleeping or eating properly. He’s worried sick about losing his eyesight and I think he has post-traumatic stress.
“He can’t come back to the UK for the surgery. The hospital have told him that under no circumstances can he travel with his eye in that condition. It’s too dangerous to fly with the state his eye is in.”
The family have set up a Go Fund Me page to help pay the surgery bill. Anyone wishing to donate can visit here.
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