OAP injured after confronting man in Pool Passage, Brighton

Hughie O’Neill said the incident was the latest in the long-running saga of the nightmare alleyway near Brighton seafront.

He says he has been plagued for years by people urinating, taking drugs, and having sex right outside his front door - and things came to a head during Pride weekend.

The 72-year-old has shared a video with The Argus showing an altercation in Pool Passage.

Sussex Police are now trying to identify "any potential suspects" following the incident on Saturday evening. 

Hughie and Chris O'Neill have experienced issues outside their home for many years

Hughie said he was attempting to disperse a group of people from the alleyway just after 8pm. 

Footage appears to show Hughie confronting a man before being grabbed around the face and pushed against a wall.

His wife Christine can be seen watching in horror, the family's pet dog cradled in her arms. 

Hughie said he suffered a twisted neck, while photographs shared with The Argus show bruising to his arms. 

The bruising to Hughie's arms

“He told me he was going to beat the s*** out of me," Hughie said.

“We’ve had it all weekend. I had to get a speaker out there to tell people they’re being recorded, which was working.

"But these lot just put their fingers up to the camera.”

Hughie said he has had to put up with ongoing issues on his doorstep, including regular instances of sexual activity.

And over the weekend he found "eight poos" in the alley.

He said that trying to stop people engaging in antisocial behaviour in recent years has led to him receiving a "constant tirade of abuse" and this has severely affected his health.

Sussex Police said anyone with information about the incident in Pool Passage on Saturday should get in touch quoting serial 235 of 09/08.

A spokesman said: "Police received a report of a man having been assaulted in Pool Passage, Brighton, shortly after 8pm on Saturday, August 6.

"A 72-year-old local man suffered minor injuries.

"An investigation is under way to establish the full circumstances of the incident and identify any potential suspects."

A group using Pool Passage shortly before Hughie asked them to leave

Hughie has recently been campaigning for gates to be installed at each end of the alleyway to deter antisocial behaviour. 

However, Brighton and Hove City Council said it can only consider a gate at one end.

Councillor Dawn Barnett said the city council needs to up its game and sort out the problem immediately.

Hughie was pushed against nearby bins

“I think the council are remiss for not dealing with it,” she said.

“It’s a disgrace. I don’t want to hear that there are no toilets around, there are toilets.

“They pay council tax, they need help.

"It needs a really high gate that people can’t climb over. It needs locking both ends.”

The city council has proposed a public space protection order which will see a gate placed at the end of Pool Passage closest to Pool Valley.

It would be locked each day at 7pm and opened at 9am the following day, with residents responsible for its opening and closure, as well as maintenance.

A spokesman for the city council said: “We are extremely aware of the strength of public feeling locally for action to be taken to reduce anti-social behaviour in Pool Passage. 

“Consultation is underway on a proposal to introduce a public space protection order that would see one end of Pool Passage being gated. 

“We anticipate that a report on the proposal will be considered by our tourism, equalities, communities and culture committee when it meets next month.”