Victim of 'mindless' attack in Borehamwood appeals for information

Roymon Joseph, 43, of Ashley Drive, was on his way to work at newspaper wholesaler, Smiths News, in Chester Road on Monday, May 9.

The father-of-two, who works night shifts, was pedalling along Balmoral Drive at around 1.40am when he spotted a group of young men acting suspiciously in two cars.

Mr Joseph, who works as packer, but is a trained mechanical draughtsman, said: “I passed them and saw the black car moving away.

“Then all of a sudden I heard the car coming fast up behind me. I took my bike onto the pavement and then suddenly I got a bang from the car.

“I'm not sure what they used, it must have been something long because they could not reach me from their open windows, but I felt something on my right shoulder.”

Mr Joseph careered into a concrete post and went over the handlebars, causing him to dislocate his left thumb and cause ligament damage.

He said the group of young men laughed and shouted as they attacked him.

Mr Joseph was unable to call the police, so in pain pushed his bike the rest of the way to work, where colleagues took him to hospital.

The hard-working family man, employed at Smiths News for five years, said his injuries will most likely keep him out of work for six weeks.

He described the assault as scary, unexpected and like nothing he had experienced before since moving to the UK from India in 2005.

He added: “I don't have any enemies, I'm a family man in full-time employment just trying to look after my children.

“I don't know why this happened, I think it was a mindless attack done just for fun.”

Mr Joseph said there were at least two young men in the car that attacked him, however he is unsure of the make or model of the vehicle.

He is calling on any residents who may have seen something to contact the police with information.

People should contact PC Ball via the non-emergency number 0845 3300 222, quoting crime reference number J1/11/1858.