A Norwich shop worker was punched in the face and attacked with a hammer after he told a customer they could not return a phone.
Aman Mohammed was taken to hospital on Tuesday, May 4 after the attack at Mobile Clinic in Orford Place at 11.08am.
Man-brutally-attacked-with-hammer-at-Norwich-shop
Police and an ambulance were called a short while later and Mr Mohammed was taken to the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital after suffering injuries to his face, eye and ribs. He is now recovering at home.
His brother Imran, who owns the shop but was at another one of his stores at the time, said it happened after an argument over a refund for a phone bought the previous day.
He said: "The day before the man came in to buy a phone. The next day he had changed his mind, but we have a policy that unless it is faulty we do not give a refund. He came to return the phone, but he had opened the box and used it. He was told about the policy.
"My brother exchanged the phone, which he didn't have to do. The man picked another phone and left. But he came back after half an hour and said again he wanted his money back. He was told again that he couldn't get a refund.
"He left but came back again after half and hour with a hammer. My brother said he needed to ask me so he called me once, but I was busy. He was stood behind the counter and started beating him up."
The victim was first punched in the eye before the sharp end of the hammer was used to claw at his ribs, Mr Mohammed said.
CCTV footage shows a second person standing at the door during the attack.
Mr Mohammed added the pair also took money from the till before leaving the shop.
He said: "[My brother] has bruises all over his face and he was punched in the eye, which has all swelled up. He has no broken bones but he's in pain. It's not just physical, he has been hurt mentally as well."
It is not the first time the shop has been targeted – last year, after being told he could not have his phone screen fixed for free, a customer put up a banner outside the shop bearing a racist message.
Mr Mohammed said: "We treat our customers fairly. We have a lot of very good and loyal customers, but some of these people come here and threaten us. We get it a lot.
"They don't do this to the big companies – they don't go to the Apple store or Samsung store and act like this. Some of these people don't care that we have our policies, they just argue and shout, and now this."
A spokesperson for Norfolk Police said no arrests have been made yet in connection with the incident, and that enquiries are ongoing.
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