A family from Abergavenny has criticised a police force’s response to an alleged assault of a man while he was walking to his local shop.

CCTV footage captured the moment Jamie Hughes was repeatedly punched in the head on the evening of Monday February 2, which resulted in him sustaining a broken nose and multiple facial fractures.

However, when the footage was shown to police on the same evening they were surprised to hear officers felt there was no requirement to identify a suspect or make an arrest at the time.

“In addition to the physical injuries, Jamie has experienced significant emotional distress following the attack, including anxiety and shock, compounded by the manner in which the incident was handled,” a representative of the family told the Chronicle.

“A serious assault resulting in significant injury has effectively been dealt with informally, despite strong evidence and the victim’s voice has been ignored.”

Gwent Police confirmed that they were aware of the incident and the footage is still being reviewed.

“At about 8pm on February 2 we had a report of an assault on Hereford Road where one man had been assaulted by another man,” a spokesperson said.

“Enquiries were undertaken and the victim spoken to. Enquiries are ongoing at this time, the crime remains under investigation and CCTV is being reviewed.”

“We would encourage any victim who has concerns about an investigation to contact us so we can liaise with them directly.”

They family are now calling for a full review of the police handling of this case and proper consideration of the CCTV and medical evidence available. Mr. Hughes and his family say they also feel concerned about public safety, police accountability and whether victims of violent crimes are taken seriously by Gwent Police.