NORTH EAST NEWS: Alan Barnes on life 10 years on from cruel mugging that made him £330k richer

-Credit:Newcastle Chronicle
-Credit:Newcastle Chronicle


A traumatic ordeal that could have shattered his world instead brought an unexpected twist of fate for Alan Barnes.

This time 10 years ago Alan's simple existence was turned upside down when he was mugged outside his Gateshead home.

The attack, by thief Richard Gatiss, left Alan terrified. But when the disabled pensioner's plight was revealed in the Chronicle it prompted an unprecedented outpouring of public support, which made Alan over £300k richer, and a household name.

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Today a decade on from the attack, and the mammoth fundraising effort that followed, Alan has told the Chronicle how he is still recognised in the street. And the 77-year-old has admitted that while Gatiss' actions transformed his life, he no longer thinks about the attack.

Alan said: "I don't think about him or the attack. You hear of a lot of other stuff that's much worse. It was nothing compared to some other things.

"It did change my life. I got to know a lot of new people. I'm very thankful for what I got so I'm putting back in what I can."

Alan was born with a series of defects, including height and growth problems, after his mum contracted German measles during pregnancy. His disabilities mean he is registered blind, stands at just 4ft 6ins and weighs less than six stone. Alan, however went on to live an independent life and was well-known around Low Fell in Gateshead, where he still lives.

Alan was moving the wheelie bin outside his bungalow, on Hillside Place in Low Fell, on the evening of Sunday, January 25, 2015, when Gatiss appeared out of the darkness.

Richard Gatiss
Richard Gatiss -Credit:Northumbria Police

The drug addict pushed frail Alan to the ground before rifling through his coat pockets looking for cash. But Gatiss fled empty-handed when Alan began shouting for help. And the victim, who suffered a broken collar bone when he hit the ground, then struggled to a neighbour's home to get help.

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Days later, Alan relived his ordeal in which he revealed how the attack had left him afraid to return to the bungalow he had once called home.

His story also caught the eye of local beautician Katie Cutler, from Greenside, who was so touched by Alan's plight she launched an online fundraising page to help Alan out. Katie initially set out to raise just £500 via the GoFundMe page with the aim of helping Alan settle in a new home. However, thousands of pounds was pledged within days.

Katie eventually closed the fund when more than £330,000 had been collected, meaning Alan had enough money to buy a home of his own for the first time.

Meanwhile Alan and Katie, who at the time vowed to be 'friends for life', made regular appearances on television and radio with Katie being dubbed 'the Angel of the North', by some.

And Alan says he is still recognised wherever he goes.

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"I don't get asked for selfies so much now," he said. "They have died off. That was the younger ones and a lot of those children have grown up. When I'm walking, people drive past and toot and I just give them a wave. It's alright, I'm not bothered. I'm just living my life.

"Last year I was at Gateshead Metro and I heard a man say 'there's Wor Alan,'. I wasn't surprised. I'm used to it now."

Alan Barnes, from Low Fell  in Gateshead, pictured ten years on from shocking attack
Alan Barnes, from Low Fell in Gateshead, pictured ten years on from shocking attack -Credit:Newcastle Chronicle

Months after the attack, Alan used some of the donated money to buy a two-bedroomed terraced house on Wesley Street in Low Fell. But Alan told the Chronicle he was struggling to settle in the new property and was planning on moving to Shetland after receiving a "calling" from God.

However, he ended up selling the house and moving to nearby Baden Powell Street, and then to a plush new build at North Dene Drive, which overlooks Saltwell Park. Four years ago Alan moved once more and is now settled in a small house in Low Fell.

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"This is the best house I have been in," said Alan. "I feel safe here.

"I have still got a bit of money left, but not much. But I'm not materialistic."

After the attack, Gatiss became Tyneside's most wanted villain. He was eventually snared after potential forensic evidence from Alan's jacket was fast-tracked by scientists and a DNA profile obtained.

Gatiss, of Split Crow Road in Gateshead, was jailed for four years at Newcastle Crown Court after admitting assault with intent to rob.

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