A BLIND axe killer has told how he was attacked by a man in the street as he tried to protect his guide dog. John Hirst, 63, who was jailed for killing his landlady with an axe, was pushed to the ground outside the Nisa Local store In Beverley Road, west Hull, by a stranger.
Mr Hirst, of nearby Adderbury Crescent, claims his Labrador-cross Willy was being "savaged" by a pit bull-like dog, when its owner ran out of the shop and shoved him in his chest as he tried to separate the animals with his cane.
He said: "I tried to get in between the dogs by shoving them with my white stick. The next thing I know, I was pushed down to the ground. Everyone was shouting 'What are you doing?'"
Police are now investigating the assault against Mr Hirst, who spent 24 years in prison for manslaughter and was released in 2004.
Officers do not know if the man realised Mr Hirst was blind but Mr Hirst believes he must have known.
"He claimed my dog was attacking his but that is not true," said Mr Hirst, who successfully campaigned for prisoners' right to vote. "There were three witnesses there and they were all shouting at him to stop attacking me.
"Willy is not a fighting dog, the whole thing was totally uncalled for. He must have seen my white stick."
Since the Mail published CCTV images of a man and his dog walking away from the scene, police have been inundated with calls but have not yet arrested anyone.
The attack on Sunday, June 1, brought back memories for Gary Johnson, 55, who has also come forward to tell how he was "pushed and jostled" by a man in Beverley Road after he refused to give him money.
Registered blind, Mr Johnson uses a cane and was left shaken when the man pushed him. He believes he was targeted by his attacker, who has not been caught following the confrontation in February.
Mr Johnson said: "He crossed over the street to get to me and started saying 'Give me 50p mate, give me 50p'. I said no but he wouldn't stop, he kept on at me, pushing me and jostling me so I bumped him back.
"Then, he grabbed my stick off me, so I grabbed it back. He pushed me again, so I pushed him back. Luckily, he walked away but he was abusive as he did.
"He picked his spot because it was getting dark and he thought I'd be an easy target. These people think they can do it because you are visually impaired. All it is is bravado."
The next day, Mr Johnson reported the incident to police, who described it as "tantamount to assault".
He said: "Afterwards, I wasn't scared, but I was much more aware than I normally would have been. I have learned from it. I'm on my guard more now.
"My advice to anyone else who is blind or disabled is to get a mobile phone and call 999 if anything happens to them."
A police spokesman said: "Police would still like to speak to the man on the CCTV to establish the circumstances of the incident."
Anyone with information about the attack on Mr Hirst should call 101, quoting crime reference number 2047747.
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