Determined plea to seek out attackers who left man for useless

Editorial Team
6 Min Read


He suffered life-changing accidents within the assault and later died

Over twenty years after Leon Adams was brutally attacked on the streets of Cardiff in an episode which went on to finish his life years later, an attraction has been renewed to seek out whoever was accountable. Leon James Adams was 24 when he walked away from The Cottage pub on St Mary Avenue in Cardiff late on the night of February 13, 2002.

He had simply completed a shift and was carrying greater than £130 in money when he left the pub. At 5.16am the next morning – February 14, 2002 – police had been known as to Grangetown railway station after receiving a report of a person mendacity on the bottom coated in blood.

The injured man was Mr Adams, who was unconscious and located with bruising and swelling to his face. The money he had in his possession upon leaving the pub was by no means discovered, and police believed the motive behind the brutal assault was theft.

Mr Adams was taken to the College Hospital of Wales in Cardiff having sustained “extreme head accidents”. He had abrasions to his face and a CT scan confirmed mind swelling and a bleed on the left facet of his mind. He additionally developed pneumonia and was in a coma for 2 years earlier than regaining consciousness.

Nevertheless, when he woke he was quadriplegic and struggled to speak. He lived in Yr Ysgol care house in Ystradgynlais and, following a deterioration in his well being, handed away aged 47 on Boxing Day 2024 – virtually 23 years after he was attacked.

In October this 12 months coroner Patricia Morgan concluded: “Leon James Adams was a match and wholesome man till he was the sufferer of an assault at Grangetown railway station on February 14, 2002. He was left with catastrophic accidents and was reliant on a care house because of his substantial wants. He was liable to infections because of his situation.”

Ms Morgan mentioned it was “seemingly” that Mr Adams’ situation meant it was tougher for him to “combat infections”, and concluded that the “brutal assault” inflicted upon him “greater than minimally contributed to his loss of life”.

Mr Adams’ mom Angela Essential mentioned: “He was an incredible artist. After he acquired crushed up and got here out of the coma he was a extremely humorous man. We had some good years in the previous few years. I miss him.”

Now Mr Adams’ household, with the assistance of South Wales Police and Crimestoppers, are interesting for anybody who might need info to return ahead. South Wales Police mentioned it has obtained new info since Mr Adams’ loss of life.

Detective Superintendent Mark O’Shea at South Wales Police mentioned his group was decided to attempt to resolve the case. He mentioned: “We have spent the final 20 years reviewing the proof at varied junctures, as science improves. A variety of reveals had been recovered from the scene and we’re hopeful that as science strikes on it would give us a possibility.”

He added he was positive there have been individuals in Cardiff who knew who was accountable for the assault, together with some who had been in contact with police previously 12 months since Leon’s loss of life. “Please contact us – his mom deserves justice.”

Hayley Fry, Wales nationwide supervisor for the charity Crimestoppers, mentioned: “This was a violent and life-changing assault that left Leon Adams with devastating accidents which finally contributed to his loss of life greater than 20 years later.

“We imagine there are individuals who know what occurred to Leon that night time and have by no means come ahead or you will have seen one thing, heard one thing later, or not realised on the time how essential their info may very well be.

“Crimestoppers is totally unbiased of the police. You’ll by no means be requested on your identify or private particulars, and we can’t hint calls or on-line reviews. If you understand something in any respect about what occurred to Leon, please inform our charity what you understand.” You’ll be able to contact Crimestoppers, anonymously, by calling 0800 555 111.

Share This Article