Pensioner 'fought for his life' after thug launched vicious attack in his garden

dailyrecord.co.uk:

A pensioner who was viciously attacked by a thug in his own garden has hit out at the council for leaving him ‘exposed’ without a fence.Thomas Copeland, from Ayr, was brutally assaulted by an intruder who attempted to steal from his shed on a summer's night.The 74-year-old was left battered and bruised, with blood dripping down his face – after he fought for his life against a 29-year-old man.Thomas, who suffers from vertigo and had not long had a hip replacement, says he was able to get the attacker out onto the street, where he wrestled with him before getting him in a Japanese head lock – which knocked him unconscious.The frightening incident on August 10 has left Thomas traumatised and frightened in his own home on Lochside Road.

But the council tenant says the nasty ordeal could have been prevented had his landlord provided him with a fence – after removing the storm damaged old one.Thomas has been dealing with a gaping hole in his back garden for around five years – after crews removed the fence and gate, but never returned to replace it with a new one.And Thomas believes that allowed his attacker to waltz into his garden before launching the violent assault.Thomas told Ayrshire Live: “On the evening of August 10 sometime between 6pm and 6.30pm I was drilling holes in a lump of steel on the other side of the back door.“I think the guy saw the hut door open and the light on, I think he was either stoned, drunk or both and saw an opportunity to come in for a quick steal.“He came in from the gable end of the building, and he saw me and made a beeline.“I challenged him and he just came out with the most nonsensical stuff, nothing he said made sense. “I turned and he pelted me in the back with something. “He had a bag