Mallorca attack teenager flown home
Thursday, August 13, 2009 @ 7:35 PM
A schoolboy who is in a coma after he was attacked while on holiday in Mallorca was being assessed in a British hospital today after being flown home.
Alex Hughes, 16, of Radyr, Cardiff, was attacked by local youths after leaving a nightclub in the resort of Port d'Andratx where he was staying with friends and their parents.
It is understood Alex was hit over the head with a bottle in the assault in the early hours of August 2.
He has been in a coma since having surgery to relieve pressure on his brain and his condition has been described as critical but stable.
Alex's grandfather Les Sims said: "They brought him over from Palma yesterday, but there's no change in his condition at the present moment.
"The medical staff are going to be assessing his condition in the new location (University Hospital of Wales, Cardiff) which could take a couple of days.
"It's a waiting game. We don't know what the outcome will be until they get him back to breathing normally."
Mr Sims said Alex's mother Helen, a nurse, had also flown back from Majorca after making sure he had safely left the island.
"It's been quite a strain on her this last week and a half, but she's coping with it the best she can.
"It's a relief to have him in Cardiff because it was very difficult with him hundreds of miles away.
"Of course you've got the language difficulty in Spain as well, as not everyone at the hospital spoke English.
"We are just hoping and praying for good news eventually."
Spanish police said there were three male suspects for the attack.
Source: The Independent