Mayor assaulted in city street forgives attacker

Paul Kendrick is the Lord Mayor of Norwich

A mayor left "shaken" by an assault says he forgives the man who took out his "rage" on him in a city centre attack.

Paul Kendrick, a long-serving Labour councillor, is currently serving a year in the ceremonial role of Lord Mayor of Norwich.

Onlookers came to his aid when he was chased, shoved against a window and then hit as he was on the ground in the city last Thursday. His attacker has since admitted the assault in court.

Mr Kendrick, 66, who was not injured, said: "He refused to comment to police; I assume he just decided to take his rage out on me."

The incident happened at about 13:20 BST in Magdalen Street, near Epic Studios, and has led to Mr Kendrick taking a week off from Norwich City Council duties as he shakes off the shock.

"I don't know what the motivation was," he explained.

"He may have recognised me as the lord mayor, but he was being abusive and I just said 'don't say that or I'll ring the police'.

"He chased me across the road and threw me into the window and then to the ground and that's when the other people intervened.

"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."

Having previously worked as a debt collector, Mr Kendrick said the physicality and aggression of the incident had not affected him too much.

Steven Freer, 30 and of no fixed address, was arrested the next day and pleaded guilty to assault by beating at Norwich Magistrates Court on Saturday.

He is due to return to the same court for sentencing on Thursday, 2 October.

Norwich City Council is based at City Hall in central Norwich

Mr Kendrick has been a councillor since 2011 and represents the Catton Grove ward.

He said the council has been supportive of him taking time off and was pleased that Norfolk Police had dealt with the incident swiftly, adding he was told the incident was all captured on CCTV.

"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," he said.

"I am shaken, but I will get over it.

"I think the good thing to come out of it was all those people, about seven of them, they put themselves in harm's way to help me.

"Without them, I don't know what might have happened."