French Teenager Badly Hurt In IOW Attack

Detectives are appealing for witnesses after a teenager was assaulted on the Isle of Wight while he was on holiday there.

A 17-year-old French boy was walking along Park Road in Cowes near the junctions with Granville Road, Union Road and the entrance to a car park.

Police are investigating reports he was approached by a group of teenagers who then assaulted him between 12.30am and 1am on Friday, August 12th.

Investigating officer Detective Sergeant John Stirling of Isle of Wight CID said: 

“This appears to have been an unprovoked assault on a foreign teenager visiting the island on holiday.

"He’s suffered serious, potentially life-changing, injuries to his face and is now in hospital receiving treatment.

“We’d like to thank local residents for helping the French teenager and our initial enquiries during the hours immediately after the assault.

“Police have contacted the boy’s family in France and the friends he was staying with on the island.

"Detectives are already following several leads about the circumstances surrounding what happened.

“We’re eager to hear from anyone who saw a group of white teenagers walking out of Cowes town centre in the Park Road area late on Thursday night or early on Friday morning.

"Anyone with information about the possible identities of suspects is also asked to contact police.”

Contact Isle of Wight CID at Newport Police Station by phoning 101 or emailing iow.cid@hampshire.pnn.police.uk