A retired police officer was left lying on the ground after a stranger attacked him and threatened his family in Monifieth.
Cliff Russell, a 68-year-old, was walking along Queen Street in the Angus town when an unknown attacker punched him several times in the side of the head.
The attack caused Cliff to fall to the ground, where the thug continued to kick and punch him in his head and ribs.
The pensioner said: “I was walking up Queen Street when I saw a man walking towards me.
“I thought ‘oh, social distancing’, so I moved onto the side of the street and he punches me twice in the side of the head.
“I fall over and he keeps hitting me, so I grab both his arms and he starts kicking me in the ribs.”
The thug threatened the pensioner’s family, claiming that he would hurt them and calling out his eight-year-old grandson by name.
Cliff said. “I didn’t recognise this guy. He walked off down Queen Street and went down a lane between the construction site and Seaview Primary School.
“I didn’t see where he went.”
The assault has left both Cliff and his family shaken.
He said: “I was a police officer for years, so I’ve had a fair few kickings.
“I’m a tough 68-year-old, so I can look after myself.
“I’ve only got a bruised up face and a sore head.
Cliff claims to have no idea why he was targeted in such a way, saying: “I’ve been retired for 22 years, and I didn’t recognise him at all.
“I don’t go out in Monifieth much, I don’t drink in Monifieth or really go out at all, so I’ve got no idea how I could upset this guy.
“It seems purely random.”
His daughter, Laura Ogg, added: “I’m very distressed in several ways by what happened.
“I’m just lucky that my dad is as fit and on the ball as he is.
“Although the attack seems random in its nature, it’s not random in terms of the words that were used.
“I’m very concerned for my family.”
The pair are now appealing for anyone with CCTV in the area to come forward and contact the police.
A Police Scotland spokesman said: “Around 1.45pm on Friday, August 14 2020, police received a report of a man being assaulted in Queen Street and enquiries are ongoing.
This article originally appeared on the Evening Telegraph website. For more information, read about our new combined website.
