A TEENAGER has told how his attempt to be a peacemaker led to him being assaulted in an unprovoked attack and left him with a broken jaw.

Annie Davidson

A TEENAGER has told how his attempt to be a peacemaker led to him being assaulted in an unprovoked attack and left him with a broken jaw.

Joe Daniels, 16, was set upon as he tried to protect a friend who he believed was about to be assaulted by a group of men in Clacton town centre.

The teenager was punched to the ground in the early hours of Saturday morning and suffered a broken jaw on one side and a dislocated jaw on the other side.

After initial treatment at Colchester General Hospital he was then transferred to the fracture unit at Ipswich Hospital where he underwent four hours of emergency surgery.

The sixth former at Colbayns High School in Clacton is recovering at his home in the town's Anchor Road but now has three metal plates permanently in his jaw and faces months of on-going treatment.

Joe said: “I was with a group of friends and we walked into town together after having a few drinks at a friend's house.

“My friend got into a bit of an argument with a girl, there was quite a lot of noise and commotion.

“My friend was standing with his back to a group of boys and one of them came over and looked like he was going to hit my mate on the back of the head.

“I stepped in and said 'look mate back off, there is just a bit of an argument going on' but by the time I had finished the sentence I had been hit on the left side of my jaw and as I tried to reposition myself I was hit again and then for a third time as I fell to the floor.

“After about ten seconds I got up, it felt all blurry and I was in a lot of agony.”

Joe, who is studying law and business studies at A level, said his jaw was “extremely, excruciatingly painful” and that he was taking a cocktail of pain killer and antibiotics.

He added: “I feel it was very unprovoked - I was only trying to stop my friend getting hurt and try to calm things down.

“He was having an argument but only a verbal one - he did not even realise what had gone on.”

Police appealed for witnesses to the attack which happened at about 1am on Saturday in Rosemary Road, Clacton, and could have involved up to two attackers.

Det Con Tim Coyles, of Clacton CID, said: “This was a vicious attack that caused injuries that will require a long period of medical treatment.

“The attack happened quickly and the victim did not see the person or people involved.”

Anyone with information is urged to contact Clacton CID on 0300 333 4444 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

annie.davidson@eadt.co.uk