Man Critical After He Was Found Badly Hurt In Reading

2 May 2019, 18:04 | Updated: 2 May 2019, 18:17

A man's in a critical condition after being found with serious head injuries after a night out in Reading.

Police say the 25-year-old bought food from McDonalds on Friar Street then left and walked along Friar Street and West Street onto Oxford Road.

He was last seen uninjured on CCTV at 12.57am, but was then seen again at 1.14am on his hands and knees in Oxford Road outside Coral in CCTV footage provided by a local bus company.

There is no footage to show how the man was injured.

He was then seen again on CCTV walking past the Tesco Express near the junction with Cheapside at 1.17am, before being attended to by an ambulance crew, who had been called by members of the public.

The man had suffered serious head injuries and was taken to hospital, where he remains in a critical condition.

Investigating officer Detective Constable Jon Morley, of Force CID based at Reading police station, said: 

“We have managed to identify footage of the man, who is, 25-years-old. He remains in a critical condition in hospital.

“We are trying to piece together his movements and to find out what has happened to him between 12.57am and 1.32am when an ambulance attended him.

“I am releasing a CCTV picture of the man as he was wearing distinctive clothing and I am hoping that anybody who may have seen the man in the early hours of 19 April, to make contact with us.

“I am keeping an open mind as to how the man sustained these injuries, and if anybody has any information, or witnessed anything that may explain these injuries, to make contact with police.

“I am particularly keen to hear from a woman who was seen talking to the man when he was seen on his hands and knees on the footage provided by Reading Buses, as she may be able to assist us with our investigation.

“At this stage, it is not known whether this man was the victim of an assault or whether the injuries he has received were by some other cause, as we have been, as yet, unable to speak to him.

“I am appealing to the public to help us to fill in the gaps from when he was seen on CCTV well, to when he was attended by paramedics.

“Any information, no matter how insignificant you may believe this to be, can assist my investigation.

“I am urging members of the public to call the 24-hour non-emergency number 101, quoting reference 43190119280, or alternatively, make a report online.”