A nation of Bravehearts? More like a nation of Cowardhearts.
A young, 22 year old woman has been left terribly scarred on her face after being beaten up by a fully grown Scottish man.
Her "crime"? Being English.
Lucy Newman was on a night out with friends in Aberdeen, in north east Scotland, when the racist thug punched her in the face after hearing her English accent. Just before the attack, he made anti-English coments.
She has been left with two black eyes and a broken cheekbone.
This is not the first anti-English attack on people, including women and children, in Scotland.
In 2006, a 7 year old New Zealand boy was also attacked by a fully grown man, this time in the city of Aberdeen.
The racist, cowardly thug thought it would be perfectly okay for him to lash out at the child just because he was wearing the shirt sof his favourite team - England.
Scottish police said racially motivated attacks, not just against the English, are not uncommon in Scotland.
Curiously, racist attacks on Scots in England seem to be much rarer than racist attacks on the English in Scotland, despite England having a much larger population than Scotland.
Scars of the girl beaten for being English in Scotland
By Fay Schlesinger
14th January 2009
Daily Mail
This young woman was viciously assaulted in Scotland because she has an English accent.
Lucy Newman, 22, was left with two black eyes and a broken cheekbone after a night out with friends in Aberdeen.
The beauty therapist, who is 5ft 3in tall, said: 'Two guys walked past and shouted something about the English.
'I didn't think it was aimed at me until one of them whacked me right in the face. The next thing I was lying on the ground with blood pouring from my head.'
Before and after the attack: Lucy Newman was left with a broken cheekbone and severed nerves behind her eye after she was punched by a stranger in an unprovoked attack
Miss Newman moved to Scotland with her family when she was four and, 18 years on, has almost lost her English accent.
But she says it still comes through on certain words, leading to endless taunts.
'The English thing doesn't bother me, I'm used to it,' she added. 'But no one has ever gone this far before. Why would they? The guy was obviously a coward.'
It is feared that she might not fully regain sight in her left eye, which was left swollen shut by the attack.
The alleged racist assault happened on busy Union Street, in central Aberdeen, about 2am on Saturday after Miss Newman left a nightclub and was heading to a bus stop with a friend.
Two men walked past and one of them, wearing a hat and scarf, lashed out and punched Lucy in the face. He then calmly walked away, accompanied by his friend, who was wearing a blue shirt.
A good Samaritan chased after the attacker but could not track him down.
Her father Leslie said his daughter was 'unrecognisable' when she arrived at Aberdeen Royal Infirmary in an ambulance.
Doctors will assess this week whether Miss Newman, from Gourdon near Aberdeen, needs facial plastic surgery.
She is due to start a new job as a nursery play assistant as soon as a disclosure check is completed - and hopes the severe bruising will have faded by then.
Her distraught mother Susan, 47, said: 'Lucy is tiny. I just can't believe somebody, especially a man, could do something like this to such a lovely and quiet girl.
'There is no reason why one person should attack another. But a man punching a young woman is inexcusable.'
Grampian Police, who have been unable to locate CCTV footage of the attack, said such incidents were not uncommon.
'Whilst this is clearly a despicable act, it is still unfortunately not uncommon for racially motivated incidents to take place,' Sergeant David Forsyth said.
READERS' COMMENTS
Nothing changes. When I lived in Aberdeen in the late 80's, my husband was a helicopter pilot flying to and from the rigs. My son was beaten up in school on a daily basis for being English. In the end, we removed him and sent him to prep school in England. My husband had been in the army before Aberdeen, and nowhere else in the world had been hostile at all. When we left Abderdeen we vowed then never to return, and we never have.
- Sue Lacy, Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire
************************
Unfortunately, this is not an isolated incident. In certain areas of Scotland, racist attacks against English people are commonplace. Hope Miss Newman makes a full and swift recovery.
- Linda, Birmingham UK
***************************
this is far from isolated incident i have english friends in scotland who have been told after applying for a job which they are well qualified for that they wont get it as they are english
- maggie, baltimore usa
*****************************
Absolutely disgusting. The anti-English attitude I have encountered in Scotland and Wales still shocks me (I am Welsh with an English accent but like to think of myself as British). Oddly enough, I have never seen an English person verbally or physically attack someone for having a Scottish or Welsh accent.
- Rach, Wales, UK
******************************
This is not uncommon in Scotland.
Hope they get the 'Brave' Scot responsible.
- Phil, Perthshire, Scotland
********************************
Having lived and worked in Scotland in the oil and gas industry for the past 20 years I can confirm that anti-English feeling is at an all time high since the Scottish assembly commenced. I have been assaulted myself on Union Street for having an English accent. I also know of at least 6 other people who have been assaulted in Aberdeen due to anti-English bigotry.
I have no idea why this does not get wider coverage as it is very common north of the border.
- Jim Broadbent, Nottingham, England
********************************
have visited Scotland, Wales and the independent Republic of Ireland and will never do so again. Nobody bothers to hide anti-English attitudes. It is rude, unpleasant and makes for an uncomfortable trip.
The only place in the British Isles where I have felt welcome as an English person (apart from England obviously) is Northern Ireland where the people are friendly and extremely welcoming.
Sam Wender, blyth, northumberland,
**********************************
Scotland is not the same place after the Mel Gibson film re William Wallace and the rise of the Scots nationalists- best to leave it well alone- there is one mighty big chip up there.
dunstun, hereford,
********************************
You have Mel Gibson, Hollywood and their hideously innacurate portrayal of the "English Monsters" in their films to thank for this. Give them their independance along with their downing st politicians and be done with it. My god we'd be far better off without the millstone that is Scotland hanging around all of our necks.
James, Basingstoke
dailymail.co.uk
A young, 22 year old woman has been left terribly scarred on her face after being beaten up by a fully grown Scottish man.
Her "crime"? Being English.
Lucy Newman was on a night out with friends in Aberdeen, in north east Scotland, when the racist thug punched her in the face after hearing her English accent. Just before the attack, he made anti-English coments.
She has been left with two black eyes and a broken cheekbone.
This is not the first anti-English attack on people, including women and children, in Scotland.
In 2006, a 7 year old New Zealand boy was also attacked by a fully grown man, this time in the city of Aberdeen.
The racist, cowardly thug thought it would be perfectly okay for him to lash out at the child just because he was wearing the shirt sof his favourite team - England.
Scottish police said racially motivated attacks, not just against the English, are not uncommon in Scotland.
Curiously, racist attacks on Scots in England seem to be much rarer than racist attacks on the English in Scotland, despite England having a much larger population than Scotland.
Scars of the girl beaten for being English in Scotland
By Fay Schlesinger
14th January 2009
Daily Mail
This young woman was viciously assaulted in Scotland because she has an English accent.
Lucy Newman, 22, was left with two black eyes and a broken cheekbone after a night out with friends in Aberdeen.
The beauty therapist, who is 5ft 3in tall, said: 'Two guys walked past and shouted something about the English.
'I didn't think it was aimed at me until one of them whacked me right in the face. The next thing I was lying on the ground with blood pouring from my head.'
Before and after the attack: Lucy Newman was left with a broken cheekbone and severed nerves behind her eye after she was punched by a stranger in an unprovoked attack
Miss Newman moved to Scotland with her family when she was four and, 18 years on, has almost lost her English accent.
But she says it still comes through on certain words, leading to endless taunts.
'The English thing doesn't bother me, I'm used to it,' she added. 'But no one has ever gone this far before. Why would they? The guy was obviously a coward.'
It is feared that she might not fully regain sight in her left eye, which was left swollen shut by the attack.
The alleged racist assault happened on busy Union Street, in central Aberdeen, about 2am on Saturday after Miss Newman left a nightclub and was heading to a bus stop with a friend.
Two men walked past and one of them, wearing a hat and scarf, lashed out and punched Lucy in the face. He then calmly walked away, accompanied by his friend, who was wearing a blue shirt.
A good Samaritan chased after the attacker but could not track him down.
Her father Leslie said his daughter was 'unrecognisable' when she arrived at Aberdeen Royal Infirmary in an ambulance.
Doctors will assess this week whether Miss Newman, from Gourdon near Aberdeen, needs facial plastic surgery.
She is due to start a new job as a nursery play assistant as soon as a disclosure check is completed - and hopes the severe bruising will have faded by then.
Her distraught mother Susan, 47, said: 'Lucy is tiny. I just can't believe somebody, especially a man, could do something like this to such a lovely and quiet girl.
'There is no reason why one person should attack another. But a man punching a young woman is inexcusable.'
Grampian Police, who have been unable to locate CCTV footage of the attack, said such incidents were not uncommon.
'Whilst this is clearly a despicable act, it is still unfortunately not uncommon for racially motivated incidents to take place,' Sergeant David Forsyth said.
READERS' COMMENTS
Nothing changes. When I lived in Aberdeen in the late 80's, my husband was a helicopter pilot flying to and from the rigs. My son was beaten up in school on a daily basis for being English. In the end, we removed him and sent him to prep school in England. My husband had been in the army before Aberdeen, and nowhere else in the world had been hostile at all. When we left Abderdeen we vowed then never to return, and we never have.
- Sue Lacy, Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire
************************
Unfortunately, this is not an isolated incident. In certain areas of Scotland, racist attacks against English people are commonplace. Hope Miss Newman makes a full and swift recovery.
- Linda, Birmingham UK
***************************
this is far from isolated incident i have english friends in scotland who have been told after applying for a job which they are well qualified for that they wont get it as they are english
- maggie, baltimore usa
*****************************
Absolutely disgusting. The anti-English attitude I have encountered in Scotland and Wales still shocks me (I am Welsh with an English accent but like to think of myself as British). Oddly enough, I have never seen an English person verbally or physically attack someone for having a Scottish or Welsh accent.
- Rach, Wales, UK
******************************
This is not uncommon in Scotland.
Hope they get the 'Brave' Scot responsible.
- Phil, Perthshire, Scotland
********************************
Having lived and worked in Scotland in the oil and gas industry for the past 20 years I can confirm that anti-English feeling is at an all time high since the Scottish assembly commenced. I have been assaulted myself on Union Street for having an English accent. I also know of at least 6 other people who have been assaulted in Aberdeen due to anti-English bigotry.
I have no idea why this does not get wider coverage as it is very common north of the border.
- Jim Broadbent, Nottingham, England
********************************
have visited Scotland, Wales and the independent Republic of Ireland and will never do so again. Nobody bothers to hide anti-English attitudes. It is rude, unpleasant and makes for an uncomfortable trip.
The only place in the British Isles where I have felt welcome as an English person (apart from England obviously) is Northern Ireland where the people are friendly and extremely welcoming.
Sam Wender, blyth, northumberland,
**********************************
Scotland is not the same place after the Mel Gibson film re William Wallace and the rise of the Scots nationalists- best to leave it well alone- there is one mighty big chip up there.
dunstun, hereford,
********************************
You have Mel Gibson, Hollywood and their hideously innacurate portrayal of the "English Monsters" in their films to thank for this. Give them their independance along with their downing st politicians and be done with it. My god we'd be far better off without the millstone that is Scotland hanging around all of our necks.
James, Basingstoke
dailymail.co.uk
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