GOOD SAMARITAN ASSAULTED WITH HAMMER AFTER HELPING VICTIM IN SUNDERLAND
A compassionate woman was violently assaulted by Douglas Rogers, a domestic abuse offender, after she attempted to assist his battered girlfriend by calling the police.Rogers had previously left his partner injured, terrified, and calling for help.
Her screams in the street attracted the attention of a concerned bystander, who offered assistance.
The woman, her face bloody, requested the caller to contact law enforcement.
In response, Rogers viciously attacked her, punching her in the face and then hitting her four times in the head with a hammer.
He was later sentenced to nine years in prison and classified as dangerous.
She described in court how the assault in Sunderland has left her deeply traumatized and with lasting scars.
In her victim impact statement, she explained: "I went to help her because I heard her screaming.
I was acting as a Good Samaritan and never anticipated that helping her would put me in danger." "I was mercilessly attacked and feared I might die.
An ambulance took me to the hospital with severe head injuries.
A child witnessed the attack, seeing me struck repeatedly in the head and screaming for help." She also shared that she suffers from tinnitus, has persistent daily headaches, experiences PTSD, and has visible scars due to hair loss from injuries, which causes her anxiety.
She told the court that the incident affects her daily life, with flashbacks and emotional distress.
Her family has also been impacted; her mother feared losing her.
She expressed regret that her attempt to help resulted in such a serious assault, adding: "I think about this attack and how it’s affected me every day.
I look in the mirror and see the scars I received for trying to be kind." "I didn’t do anything wrong to the girl, only tried to help.
I have no idea why he attacked me.
He remained calm while repeatedly hitting me with the hammer.
I never thought that a simple act of kindness could lead to such a violent assault."
