Homeless Man Targeted With A Firework In Liverpool

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A homeless Army veteran suffered leg injuries after a youth allegedly put a lit firework in his pocket and said “have a sparking good night mate”.

The incident in Liverpool on 5 November is one in a series of attacks that have been reported across the UK. It comes as a petition calling for a ban on the sale of fireworks to the public has exceeded 160,000 signatures. The petition says fireworks can cause nuisance to the public as well as injuries and damage to buildings and property.

A ban has already been called for by the parents of four-year-old Rosie-May Mason, who was scarred by a rocket let off at a back garden display last year in Wales, while senior doctors have called for graphic images of injuries to be displayed on packaging. But the British Fireworks Association has said a ban would be “heavy handed” and fireworks should be used responsibly.

Andy Shute, a volunteer with homelessness charity the Paper Cup Project, said he helped the Army veteran victim after the “appalling” and “inhumane” attack in the city. He said he was giving the victim some food and drink in a nearby street when he told him about the incident. The veteran, who is in his late 30s, said he felt one of four teenagers brush past him and “within seconds” he could smell burning.

“He looked down and his coat was smouldering. He said he’d dealt with flash bangs in the army so he grabbed hold of it as tightly as he could. It went off and burnt through his coat and on to his leg.” Shute said the victim told him he should probably go to hospital but that “our type aren’t welcome up there”. He described the homeless man as “a really lovely, very well spoken guy”.

“It’s just animalistic behaviour,” Shute said. “It leaves me stunned that our fellow human race can do something like this because they think it’s funny. It’s not funny. We’ve heard of homeless people being burnt to death or urinated on. Society scares me at times that we’re so uncaring. He could have lost his leg last night and that’s not an exaggeration.”

Mr Shute said the man told him the firework burnt through his coat and trousers and “it was only his wallet in his pocket that gave his leg a bit of protection”. He said he then grabbed the firework from his coat and suffered burns on his middle finger.

Merseyside police said they were called at about 8.20pm to a report that a man had been assaulted with a firework by a group of young people outside Liverpool Lime Street station. Chief Inspector Paddy Kelly, of Merseyside Police, said the “shocking incident” would not be tolerated and they were determined to find the offenders and they were trying to find the victim.