The wife of a man who was viciously attacked by teens while defending an 11-year-old youngster in a park has told how her husband’s catastrophic brain injuries have left him unable to talk or care for himself a year later.
Last Easter Sunday, three young lads bullied a child in a dispute over a frisbee before attacking 47-year-old Alan Willson.
Alan’s wife Annie said that after being beaten with wood logs, his “life is entirely gone” and that he is a “completely different man.” Yesterday, three young people were jailed for the terrible assault.
The savage, “life-changing,” assault took place on April 4, 2021, around 7.30 p.m. in Longcroft Park in Worthing, West Sussex, when the defendants were 13, 14, and 17.
Due to his severe brain injuries, Mr. Willson is still unable to tell his children that he loves them or play football in the park more than a year later, according to Annie.
Following the incident, Mr. Willson was also left with hearing issues, a blind eye in his left, and was “trapped in a weird body he doesn’t comprehend.”
Brothers George and Archie Tilley, both 14 years old, received nine-year sentences at Hove Crown Court yesterday, while accomplice Harry Furlong, also 18 years old, received a 20-month sentence.
After the sentence was handed down, Mrs. Willson described their life after the incident, saying: “Alan was the kindest man ever before this happened.”
“His personality was great; if he noticed you were having a bad day, he would make you laugh.”
He has changed significantly since then. He sheds many tears. When you try to engage him in conversation and converse to him, he merely makes noises and says, “I can’t speak, I can’t speak.”
He only needs to touch his head to become aware of his brain injuries. He understands, but his mouth won’t open, therefore he is unable to speak.
“The voice doesn’t work, and the muscles won’t either.
There is too much going on—too many sounds and too many visuals—for him to be able to write anything down or watch television for an extended period of time.
And he can’t read, so he doesn’t. He is unable to converse because his life has ended. He’s a totally different person now.
“The family has been greatly impacted,” We have gone a whole year without saying “I love you,” “good night kids,” or even laughing or making jokes.
The entire family has gone through hell and will continue to do so forever, which is surprising.
Our family has been decimated by these boys. They chose the incorrect person; they chose a good and lovely man.
Mrs. Willson also made an agonizing appeal to a medical professional to aid in her husband’s regaining the ability to speak.
Since some days Alan doesn’t want to be here anymore, she said, “There must be someone out there who can help him talk again, some surgeon or somebody who can help him.”
After serving their nine-year sentences, a judge designated George and Archie Tilley as dangerous offenders and sentenced them to an additional three years on license.
Furlong was handed a 20-month sentence, less the time he had already served on remand, and he will serve half of it behind bars and the other half on probation because he was not deemed “dangerous.”
Furlong was found not guilty by a majority of the jury of serious bodily harm without purpose but was convicted guilty of severe bodily harm with intent.
After a 14-day trial during which all three of the Tilley brothers contested the charges, a unanimous jury convicted them both guilty of intentionally causing great bodily damage.
Since both brothers are under 18, their names were only released after the media petitioned the judge.
Annie Willson addressed the defendants in a victim impact statement that was read in court, saying: “On April 4, 2021, you ruined my family and have damaged us beyond repair.
The moment I arrived in that park and saw what you had done to my Alan, I will never forget it.
“You stole a husband, father, grandfather, brother, cousin, and uncle,” she said.
“Alan was the kindest man who would assist anyone without hesitation at the drop of a hat.”
“You attacked him in a bunch and didn’t stop until he was bleeding out and unconscious on the ground.
“Now, as a result of your actions, my husband is unable to communicate, interact with his kids, work, or manage his body.
He has no mental capacity, no vision in his left eye, and a severe brain injury from which he will never fully recover, according to the doctor.
He struggles with his hearing, his teeth, and his ability to care for his personal cleanliness. Not the same man, now.
He is imprisoned in this foreign body, which he doesn’t comprehend. He will never again be able to take pleasure in the things he formerly found so satisfying.
He no longer makes us chuckle by saying absurd things. We no longer get the hugs and embraces from him that we always did.
No punishment you receive will ever be sufficient since Alan, along with myself and my family, is serving a life sentence.
Senior investigating officer for Sussex Police, Detective Chief Inspector Simon Dunn, called it a “sickening” assault.
“This was a horrible and violent attack on an innocent father, who had only intervened to assist a young youngster who was hurt and upset,” he said.
The harm Alan experienced demonstrated that this was a sustained and protracted attack, and Alan and his family will be affected by what happened that day for the rest of their lives.
“I want to express my gratitude to Annie and the rest of Alan’s family for the courage and grace they displayed throughout this heartbreaking struggle.
“I can only hope that they are able to move forward and fully concentrate on Alan’s health now that the court issue is behind them,” I said.
I also want to thank the team of investigators who put so much effort into compiling a solid case and the witnesses who came forward to support our efforts to hold the guilty accountable.
Worthing’s district commander, Chief Inspector Sarah Leadbeatter, said the town has had a spate of issues brought on by a small number of adolescents.
I absolutely understand the shock and upheaval this horrible act has brought, not just for those who know Alan but also for the larger community, she continued.
“I want to reassure the public that Worthing continues to put in a tremendous lot of effort to address issues related to teenage violence and anti-social behaviour.
“It’s vital to understand that the issues we have observed in the neighbourhood are related to a small group of young people, yet they cannot be resolved overnight or by a single organization.
It calls for a collaborative approach, which we are strongly committed to and will maintain in the future.
“I want people to feel safe in Worthing as well as to be safe, so we will continue to have high visibility patrols in high-crime areas, specialized policing operations aimed at combating youth violence, and my neighbourhood policing teams will continue to interact with local communities to build on community intelligence and offer that assurance.
“I need the community’s ongoing support to assist us combat this disruptive behaviour.
The amount of violence and criminality we have seen in this instance is utterly unacceptable and it will not be accepted.”
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