UK: Senior Citizen With Cane Fends Off Thug With Sword
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Fred Fuller
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Man, 60, fights off samurai sword attacker by striking him over the head with walking stick
By Daily Mail Reporter
Last updated at 1:39 PM on 02nd September 2008
An elderly hero stopped a samurai sword attacker by hitting him over the head with his walking stick.
David Fawcett, 60, had gone to a takeaway with his friends Elaine Layton and Tony McConnell just after midnight on Monday when they spotted a man urinating outside.
Mr Fawcett, a former social worker, said: ‘Elaine asked him to stop. He got a bottle of beer and smashed her three times in the hand.
‘I got between them and he ran off saying he was going to get a sword and kill us.
Photo: Fightback: David Fawcett (right) and his friend and carer Tony McConnell who fought off a samurai sword attacker using David's walking stick
‘Elaine phoned the police but we didn't really think too much of his threat. Five minutes later he was back with the sword and chased me and Tony into the takeaway.’
Mr Fawcett said he dashed into the shop and tried to shut the door but the man slashed his hand with the sword before swinging the blade wildly above his head and trying to smash the glass door.
When the man tried to force his way into the takeaway in Gateshead, Mr Fawcett took the chance to protect his friends by striking the attacker on the head with his walking stick.
‘I don't think there was anything heroic about it. It was terrifying. I was shaking after but I had to protect my friends. When I saw they were going for Elaine, I had to do something.’
After a police chase, the man was caught and arrested nearby.
Ms Layton, 26, was taken to Queen Elizabeth Hospital along with Mr Fawcett, who needed stitches for the deep gash to his hand.
Elaine said: ‘Every time I close my eyes I see his face. I'm still shaking now and I've been sick since it happened, it's really affected me.'
Mr McConnell, also David's carer, said he gave chase when the man tried to flee.
The 22-year-old DJ said: ‘I was throwing up and my adrenalin was on a high. I keep going over what happened in my head.’
A Northumbria Police spokesman said: ‘After a short chase the offender was arrested nearby after abandoning the sword which was later located.
‘The offender received hospital treatment for a head injury prior to being brought into custody.’ He added that a 30-year-old man had been arrested in connection with the incident.
The manager of the takeaway praised Mr Fawcett for saving the lives of everyone in the restaurant.
Ali Cheranghi, 32, said he tried to get around 10 people who were in the store behind the counter to protect them.
He said: ‘The man was swinging the sword wildly. If he had hit someone it would have cut them in two.
‘We were all terrified and shaking. He kept lifting the sword over his head and slashing down against the glass, but it wouldn't crack.
‘If it wasn't for the gentleman with the walking stick, things could have been so much worse.’
By Daily Mail Reporter
Last updated at 1:39 PM on 02nd September 2008
An elderly hero stopped a samurai sword attacker by hitting him over the head with his walking stick.
David Fawcett, 60, had gone to a takeaway with his friends Elaine Layton and Tony McConnell just after midnight on Monday when they spotted a man urinating outside.
Mr Fawcett, a former social worker, said: ‘Elaine asked him to stop. He got a bottle of beer and smashed her three times in the hand.
‘I got between them and he ran off saying he was going to get a sword and kill us.
Photo: Fightback: David Fawcett (right) and his friend and carer Tony McConnell who fought off a samurai sword attacker using David's walking stick
‘Elaine phoned the police but we didn't really think too much of his threat. Five minutes later he was back with the sword and chased me and Tony into the takeaway.’
Mr Fawcett said he dashed into the shop and tried to shut the door but the man slashed his hand with the sword before swinging the blade wildly above his head and trying to smash the glass door.
When the man tried to force his way into the takeaway in Gateshead, Mr Fawcett took the chance to protect his friends by striking the attacker on the head with his walking stick.
‘I don't think there was anything heroic about it. It was terrifying. I was shaking after but I had to protect my friends. When I saw they were going for Elaine, I had to do something.’
After a police chase, the man was caught and arrested nearby.
Ms Layton, 26, was taken to Queen Elizabeth Hospital along with Mr Fawcett, who needed stitches for the deep gash to his hand.
Elaine said: ‘Every time I close my eyes I see his face. I'm still shaking now and I've been sick since it happened, it's really affected me.'
Mr McConnell, also David's carer, said he gave chase when the man tried to flee.
The 22-year-old DJ said: ‘I was throwing up and my adrenalin was on a high. I keep going over what happened in my head.’
A Northumbria Police spokesman said: ‘After a short chase the offender was arrested nearby after abandoning the sword which was later located.
‘The offender received hospital treatment for a head injury prior to being brought into custody.’ He added that a 30-year-old man had been arrested in connection with the incident.
The manager of the takeaway praised Mr Fawcett for saving the lives of everyone in the restaurant.
Ali Cheranghi, 32, said he tried to get around 10 people who were in the store behind the counter to protect them.
He said: ‘The man was swinging the sword wildly. If he had hit someone it would have cut them in two.
‘We were all terrified and shaking. He kept lifting the sword over his head and slashing down against the glass, but it wouldn't crack.
‘If it wasn't for the gentleman with the walking stick, things could have been so much worse.’
First off . . . 60 yrs old is hardly a "senior citizen."
The cane I carried after a knee injury is from Cold Steel. Heavy enough for a club or bludgeon -- and about 38" of sharp, 440 stainless in the shaft. It's unobtrusive for the most part, although "security staff" in most venues are trained to look for potential cane swords.
The cane I carried after a knee injury is from Cold Steel. Heavy enough for a club or bludgeon -- and about 38" of sharp, 440 stainless in the shaft. It's unobtrusive for the most part, although "security staff" in most venues are trained to look for potential cane swords.
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jahwarrior
Member
prety soon they'll be banning canes over there.
Carl Levitian
member
YEA!
A victory over evil by one of us old cane toting fogys!
"Never underestimate a good piece of hickory."
A victory over evil by one of us old cane toting fogys!
"Never underestimate a good piece of hickory."
Valkman
Member
There you go - a good piece of hard wood saves the day!
Carl Levitian
member
I once read a interesting account of Bat Masterson using a cane to good effect. He and another man had made a wager on a boxing match. Mr. Masterson's boxer won the fight, but the other man welshed on the bet. Materson made the comment that if the cheap scoundrel ever showed his face in town again, that he, Masterson, would beat the welshing scoundrel sevearly about the head and shoulders with his cane.
The man on hearing this made an appearance, hoping that since he was very much larger than the short stocky Masterson, Masterson would not be up to the task.
He was wrong.
Even though he was nearly a head taller than Masterson, and outweighted him by a good amount, the last sight of him was as he was running down the street with the short legged Masterson a stride behind him, beating him about the head and shoulders as he had promised to do.
If a piece of wood was good enough for Bat Masterson, then thats good enough for me.
Now I have to go wax my blackthorn.
The man on hearing this made an appearance, hoping that since he was very much larger than the short stocky Masterson, Masterson would not be up to the task.
He was wrong.
Even though he was nearly a head taller than Masterson, and outweighted him by a good amount, the last sight of him was as he was running down the street with the short legged Masterson a stride behind him, beating him about the head and shoulders as he had promised to do.
If a piece of wood was good enough for Bat Masterson, then thats good enough for me.
Now I have to go wax my blackthorn.
Dr. Tad Hussein Winslow
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Now 60 is "elderly"? Wow, socialized healthcare at work I guess....
Good on him - glad to see that the loser received some pain in addition to the wrath of Johnny Law.
Good on him - glad to see that the loser received some pain in addition to the wrath of Johnny Law.
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