Disabled veteran, 60, ‘fears for his life’ after being beaten with metal bar while walking dog in cemetery

A disabled army veteran is “fearful for his life” after being beaten unconscious with a metal pole by two men while he was walking his dog.

George MacDonald, 60, was walking his German Shepherd, Kaiser, in Arbroath, Angus in Scotland, just after 6am on August 9.

The Scottish army veteran said Kaiser was playing with another dog that was not on a leash.

After picking up his dog and apologizing to the owner, he was subjected to verbal abuse.

Moments later, the dog walker and another man, appearing from a car armed with a metal pole, launched an unprovoked attack.

George MacDonald pictured with his wife Elizabeth and his German Shepherd, Kaiser

Pictured are some of the injuries inflicted during the August 9 attack at East Graveyard, Arbroath

Mr MacDonald, who uses a cane, was knocked unconscious and left with cuts and bruises to his arm and back after being beaten with the pole and also with a dog ball thrower.

He said: “I can’t go with Kaiser there now, I’m afraid for my life.

“I got hit in the face with a pet ball launcher and my glasses tore off my face.”

“Kasier ran about 3 meters away from us because he was scared.

“Then these two men hit me with a metal pole and a dog thrower and knocked me unconscious.

“I’m only 1.70 meters tall and I walk with a stick. They were about 6 feet tall.

“I had cuts and bruises on my back, arms and stomach. I also injured my neck.

Mr MacDonald suffers from PTSD after serving in the army as a physical training instructor from 1981 until 1993, when he was medically discharged.

But now the veteran says the attack has intensified his mental health issues.

He also enrolled Kaiser in K-9 family protection training, with the goal of staying safe in the future.

Mr MacDonald said his mental health had deteriorated following the savage attack which left him with injuries.

The two men who allegedly took part in the attack were said to have been walking dogs in the area. The first male is described as white, approximately 6 feet tall, with short brown hair, a stocky build and speaking with a local accent.

He was seen wearing a black t-shirt with – possibly the name of a heavy metal band – written on it and gray sweatpants.

The second male is described as white, over 6ft tall, with short brown hair, a pale complexion, a slim build and wearing a light blue tracksuit top and bottoms.

Police Scotland made no arrests.

A Police Scotland spokesperson said: “At around 7.20pm on Saturday 10 August 2024, officers received a report of an assault in the Brechin Road area of ​​Arbroath. Investigations are ongoing.

Anyone with information is asked to contact Police Scotland on 101, quoting crime reference CR/295295/24.