'They had me on the floor when I saw the blade come in to stab me' - Stroud assault victim Shaun, 21, full interview (From Stroud News and Journal)

'They had me on the floor when I saw the blade come in to stab me' - Stroud assault victim Shaun, 21, full interview

7:00pm Tuesday 5th February 2013 in News By Kate Wilson, Reporter

A YOUNG man was viciously beaten and threatened with a handsaw blade as he walked through Stroud to a family gathering early on Friday night.

Shaun Chapman, 21, was the victim of an unprovoked assault in the Doctor Newton's Way underpass by two teenagers who tried to steal his mobile phone.

Mr Chapman was walking from his home in Bath Road, Stroud to meet his family in the Lord John pub for his uncle's 50th birthday when the incident happened at 7.30pm.

"One of them barged into my shoulder as we passed on the pavement and the other guy said 'give me your phone blud'," said Mr Chapman, who works at Tesco in Stroud.

"I pushed the second guy away but his friend pulled out a handsaw blade and threatened to shank me."

Mr Chapman's Nokia Lumina 800 phone was in his back pocket but the offenders would not have known he had one on him or known its value.

He was pushed to the ground in the underpass before being kicked and punched.

Mr Chapman, a fitness enthusiast whose ambition is to join the Royal Marines, was left with severe bruising and cuts to his face.

"I didn't realise how bad it was until I got to hospital and saw my face for the first time," said Mr Chapman, who attended Maidenhill School and studied plumbing at Stroud College.

"It all happened so fast, I don't remember everything but I do remember lying on the floor being kicked and seeing the knife coming in to stab me.

"I grabbed the blade, snapped it off from the handle and was then able to get up and run off. "My family didn't recognise me when I arrived in the Lord John."

Mr Chapman, who was treated at Gloucestershire Royal Hospital, was due to take part in a 65 mile cycle ride around Cheltenham on Sunday but had to pull out.

He has also been forced to cancel an interview with the Marines.

"I don't think I would make a very good impression showing up with my face all battered and bruised," he said.

* The offenders were white, around 17-years-old, about 6ft tall and both wore dark McKenzie jackets.

Anyone with information which could help bring the attackers to justice should call police on 101 quoting incident 398 of February 1.