An attack victim has told of his anger after he was struck with a bottle he paid for when buying his assailant a drink.
The 34-year-old suffered serious injuries to his head, eye and ankle when he was set upon by two mystery men in a Wallsend pub.
The IT analyst says he had bought one of the attackers a bottle of Newcastle Brown Ale before the assault, and believes he was struck with that bottle.
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And today as police continue to hunt the violent pair the victim, who has asked not to be named, has told of his hope they will be caught before anyone else is hurt.
He said: "I bought them a drink. It's just ironic how I got something for them and ended up being hit with it.
"It's probably someone trying to make a name for themselves. They probably saw me as an easy target.
"I just don't want them to do it again to someone else."
The man, who is from Newcastle's East End, had been having a drink with a family member in the Duke of York pub in Wallsend, when the incident happened.
He had never been out in Wallsend before.
"I travel a bit with work and I had come back and I just thought I would catch-up with my family," he explained. "I had never been there in my life, but the last thing I expected was for anything like this to happen."
The victim first encountered his attackers in the pub's toilets after they followed him in.
He immediately recognised one of the men from his schooldays, but could not remember his name.
"They were asking me questions in the toilet," he said.
When the man returned to his drink one of the men came to talk to him again.
"He came over for a chat. He said; 'Do you remember me'? I said; 'Yes from when we were children'.
"Then it got really dark and he said; "But do you remember me?'"
"I thought he obviously wasn't happy with something, but I had never had a run in with him before. I remembered him, but I couldn't remember his name. I just didn't understand why he had an issue with me. I have always been very respectful of everyone."
In a bid to diffuse the situation the victim offered to get the men a drink, and he bought one of them a bottle of Newcastle Brown Ale.
But when the victim went to the toilet again the pair followed him once more, and this time blocked the door.
"One of them clenched his fist," he said. "I can't remember what he said. I just said; 'Is everything all right?' Then they looked at each other as if to say: 'You first'."
The victim decided to make a run for it, but as he did he was hit on the head from behind.
The man can remember staggering out the toilets but believes he blacked out before he reached the bar.
"They hit us with a bottle from behind," he said. "I don't know how long I was knocked out for, I just remember coming round at the front door.
"My face was covered in blood. I looked at my hands and there was all this blood."
The victim was taken to hospital where he was told he had a chipped cornea in his eye and an injured foot.
"I had a fractured foot as well. I have no idea how that happened," he said. "
Northumbria Police is still investigating the attack.
A spokeswoman said: "On October 19, police received a report a man had been assaulted while inside the Duke of York public house in the early hours of October 17.
"It was reported the victim, aged 34, had been approached by two males who have then punched him in the head and then struck him with a bottle as he lay on the floor.
"He was taken to hospital with serious injuries to his to his head, eye and ankle.
"An investigation was immediately launched and officers have already reviewed CCTV and spoken with a number of witnesses."
Earlier this month police released CCTV images of two men they would like to trace.
The spokeswoman continued: "The men, or anyone who knows them is asked to get in touch immediately."
Contact Northumbria Police on 101 quoting log NP-20211019-1034.
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