The family of a young footballer left with horrific facial injuries after apparently being punched during a match is calling for his attacker to be banned for life.
Lewis Fenwick, 15, suffered a broken eye socket, fractured nose and nerve damage to his face when an opposition teenager allegedly punched him in the side of the head.
Merseyside Police officers were at the scene within minutes after the referee abandoned the match and have confirmed they are investigating the alleged assault on January 14.
Lancashire FA has banned Lewis’ attacker for three games for violent conduct and has also launched a separate probe with further action possible.
But following discussions with a police family support officer, Lewis’ dad Andy told The Mirror it sounds like there would be few other consequences for his son's attacker.
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He said: “He is pretty much an adult. We didn't want him to go to jail, but if we don't teach kids not to do something like that, you're basically teaching them to do wrong."
Lewis was playing for Burscough Dynamo Under 15s at the Holy Trinity Sports Ground when the attack took place (Daily Mirror)
Lewis has a broken eye socket among injuries following the attack (Daily Mirror)"I couldn’t live with myself if we didn’t pursue this and then in a few years’ time hear about an incident where someone has been really badly injured or worse in Southport town centre and it turns out to be the same lad."
Andy feared the punch, which happened just 10 minutes into the Craven Minor Football League match, may have caused lasting damage to Lewis, who wears hearing aids.
Everton-fan Lewis was playing for Burscough Dynamo Under 15s at the Holy Trinity Sports Ground in Roe Lane, Southport, Merseyside against Southport Trinity (Black) when a teammate was on the receiving end of what he said was a bad tackle.
Lewis said: “I went up to the ref to say it was a bad foul. This lad shouted ‘eff off’ and came up to me and said he would ‘chin me up’.
“I pushed him away and he came up with a forceful push. I looked away and he just hit me.
“I was in shock, I couldn’t feel anything, I couldn’t feel my body. I didn't have a clue what was going on. I thought I had been headbutted at first.”
Everton fan Lewis before the alleged attack (Daily Mirror)
Lewis pictured with his little brother, 10-year-old Max (Daily Mirror)Lewis' mum Lucy said she had been rummaging through her bag for something for her other son Max to eat, when she heard a commotion and people "absolutely going berserk".
When she saw Lewis' face, she said she felt "pure anger", she said.
"Nobody's got a right to do that, especially to a child."
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Andy said: “I didn’t see it but I heard the noise of a punch. That fleshy sound. Two of our parents ran across and then I realised it was Lewis. He was walking with his hands on his head. His nose was bleeding and you could see the damage to his face already.”
Lewis was taken to Ormskirk Hospital and later to Alder Hey Children’s Hospital in Liverpool where he underwent a CT scan and X-rays.
He missed several weeks off school and will not be allowed to try to play football again until March at the earliest.
“It was very painful to eat and talk,”he said.
“The whole side of my face was bruised. I was upset and angry.
Lewis has an anxious wait to see if the nerve damage can be repaired (Daily Mirror)
Lewis and Max at a recent football game (Daily Mirror)“I have never seen anything like that happen on a football pitch. I think I’ll be scared to play again if the ball goes near my face. I think he should be banned.”
Lucy said Lewis already suffers from anxiety due to his hearing loss and is concerned the incident has set him back further.
However, she and Andy said his teammates had been supportive and had come around to visit, which had helped Lewis through the rough period.
Lewis – who plays guitar and is a big fan of the Beatles and Freddie Mercury – has an anxious wait to see if the nerve damage can be repaired and has an NHS hearing appointment in April.
Doctors have warned the family that he needs to avoid any further knocks to the head as trauma could result in his hearing disappearing altogether.
A spokesman for Southport Trinity said the club were making statements to Lancashire FA amid claims their player was subject to verbal abuse prior to the incident. He said the player was banned from training with his teammates for two weeks.
A spokesperson for Craven Minor Football League said they could not comment due to the active police investigation.
A spokesperson for Lancashire FA said the investigation is ongoing.
A Merseyside Police spokesperson said: "We can confirm that officers are investigating following an assault at a youth football match in Southport.
“At around 10.30am on Saturday 14 January, officers attended the report of an assault of a 15-year- old boy by another boy following an altercation between football teams at a match at Holy Trinity Sports Ground in Roe Lane.
"The victim sustained a fractured eye socket and fractured nose, as well as nerve damage. The game was ended by the referee as a result and the investigation continues.
"Anyone with information can contact us @MerPolCC with reference 23000040735."
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