THE wife of a man beaten nearly to death in a merciless attack by a gang of teens says all she wants is to hear him say “I love you”.
Alan Willson, 47, suffered significant and life-changing brain injuries after he was battered with a wooden log in Worthing, West Sussex.
This is the moment Alan Willson began to weep as his wife Annie told of the impact his life-changing brain injuries have had[/caption]
George and Archie Tilley beat Mr Willson almost to death as he tried to defend an 11-year-old boy[/caption]
Mr Willson will never fully recover from his injuries[/caption]
He had dashed to the aid of an 11-year-old boy targeted by the young thugs.
Mr Willson is still unable to walk or talk and has “no mental capacity” after the Easter Sunday attack last year.
Today, The Sun unmasked two of the thugs responsible as they were sent to jail for 12 years each.
Archie and George Tilley were seen laughing with their middle fingers raised as they arrived at court.
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In an exclusive interview with The Sun, Mr Willson’s wife Annie told of her devastation.
Sitting beside her husband and reassuring him as he wept, she said she was given moments to say goodbye after he first arrived at the hospital.
“They said, ‘You have three minutes to speak to him. We need to take him to surgery or else he’s going to die’,” she said.
“I went in and said, ‘Can I touch him?’ I gave him a kiss and said, ‘Do what you need to do’.”
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Doctors warned Mr Willson’s injuries were “non survivable”.
“He had four brain injuries, his posterior and anterior ribs were broken, three spinal fractures, a shattered face, orbital bone, shattered jaw and numerous amounts of other things I can’t even remember,” Mrs Willson said.
“They said his injuries were non survivable and to go home and plan a funeral, which I did.”
Mr Willson pulled through his surgeries. However, his life had changed forever.
His wife said today: “I miss him signing ridiculously high-pitched songs. I miss him making us all laugh when we were down.
“I just want him to say, ‘I love you. Good night kids’.”
A WIFE’S DEVASTATION
As she spoke, Mr Willson began to cry.
The brave couple gave the interview on the day “ringleaders” Archie Tilley, 16, and George Tilley, 14, were sentenced after being convicted of GBH with intent.
The pair were joined in the dock by Harry Furlong, 18 and of Horsham, West Sussex, who was found guilty of GBH without intent.
He was sentenced to 20 months – with the final 10 spent on licence.
Lewes Crown Court previously heard how Alan was pushed over by the one of the teens – then aged 13, 14 and 17 – in a row over a frisbee.
He was then “whacked” with a 3ft log – causing a “loud crack” as his ribs broke.
I miss him making us all laugh. I just want him to say, ‘I love you. Good night kids’
The trio were caught on CCTV at a railway station re-enacting the bloody battering less than an hour later while attempting to impress girls.
One teen who spoke to the attackers described them as “fake beating the air” and giggling “please stop”.
A dog walker told police the attack at first “sounded like someone getting beaten up or hurt” then “like someone being murdered”.
Mr Willson was so badly hurt that paramedics were unable to recognise him as being an adult.
Mrs Willson told the attackers in court: “Because of your actions, my husband cannot speak, cannot play with his children, cannot work and cannot control his body.
“He has no mental capacity, no vision in his left eye and has a massive brain injury from which he will never fully recover.
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“He has hearing problems, dental problems, cannot toilet himself or take care of his personal hygiene.
“He is not the same man. He is locked in this strange body that he doesn’t understand.”
Today, Mrs Willson told The Sun she just wants to hear her husband say ‘I love you’ again[/caption]
The care worker cannot walk or talk after suffering four brain injuries, broken ribs, three spinal fractures, and a shattered orbital bone and jaw[/caption]
Members of the gang re-enacted the beating several hours later while trying to impress girls[/caption]
Mrs Willson spoke as the Tilley brothers were jailed for GBH with intent this afternoon[/caption]
She returned to the spot where she found her husband as she spoke to The Sun[/caption]
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