Lord Mayor of Norwich, Paul Kendrick, Forgives Attacker After City Centre Assault
Paul Kendrick, the Lord Mayor of Norwich and a long-serving Labour councillor, has publicly forgiven the man who assaulted him in Norwich city centre. The incident, which left Mr. Kendrick "shaken," occurred last Thursday. The attacker has since admitted to the assault in court.
Details of the Assault
The assault took place at approximately 13:20 BST in Magdalen Street, near Epic Studios. Mr. Kendrick, 66, stated that the attacker "took his rage out on me." Onlookers intervened as the attacker chased, shoved Mr. Kendrick against a window, and then struck him while he was on the ground. Despite the ordeal, Mr. Kendrick was not seriously injured due to a padded jacket he was wearing.
"It only lasted for a few seconds and I had a big padded jacket on, so it didn't cause any serious injuries — it was the shock really." - Paul Kendrick, Lord Mayor of Norwich
Legal Proceedings and Aftermath
Steven Freer, 30, with no fixed address, was arrested the following day and pleaded guilty to assault by beating at Norwich Magistrates Court on Saturday. He is scheduled to return to the same court for sentencing on Thursday, October 2nd. As a result of the incident, Mr. Kendrick has taken a week off from his duties at Norwich City Council to recover from the shock.
Mr. Kendrick's Response and Forgiveness
Despite the assault, Mr. Kendrick, who has been a councillor for the Catton Grove ward since 2011, has expressed forgiveness towards his attacker. He acknowledged the support from Norwich City Council and praised Norfolk Police for their swift response. The incident was reportedly captured on CCTV. He said, "I'm a Catholic and a Christian, and we forgive those that trespass against us, so I forgive him in a spiritual way but he has got to learn that you cannot do that,"
Community Support
Mr. Kendrick expressed gratitude to the seven people who intervened during the assault, potentially preventing further harm. He stated he was "shaken, but I will get over it" and highlighted the positive aspect of the incident being the community's willingness to help.
