A convenience store worker was assaulted in a shocking incident in Nottingham, prompting police to release CCTV images of a suspect they are seeking to trace.
The attack happened on 12 June at a store on Heathcoat Street in the Hockley area, when a youth entered the premises and sprayed an unknown substance in the direction of the shopkeeper. The suspect then picked up an item from the counter and refused to return it.
When asked to leave, the youth pushed the shopkeeper several times before punching him.
Officers have now released images of a male they believe could help with their inquiries.
“This was an upsetting incident for the victim and we are determined to get justice for him,” PCSO Solomon Clark, of Nottingham’s City Centre neighbourhood policing team, said.
“To this end we believe the person pictured in these images may be able to help us. We urge him or anyone who knows him to get in touch with us as soon as possible.”
The assault highlights ongoing concerns about violence and abuse directed at independent retailers and their staff. According to the ACS 2025 Crime Report, published in March, there were an estimated 59,000 incidents of violence in the convenience sector over the past year, alongside 1.2 million incidents of verbal abuse. Alarmingly, 87 per cent of colleagues reported experiencing verbal abuse in the last 12 months.
Police are asking anyone with information to call 101 quoting crime reference 25*346012.