Doctors have said that 35-year-old Graham Murray's chances of survival are very slim and he could be permanently brain damaged.

Today his mum Janet, 57, appealed to people to stop the violence: "Nobody should do such things to anybody.

"He is a very quiet, gentle person. He would not harm anyone and would do anything like shopping or cutting people's hedges."

Mr Murray, who lives with his uncle in Osmondthorpe, Leeds, was with a friend when they were both hurt in an incident involving a teenage boy, in Osmondthorpe Lane, on Tuesday June 24. The woman was knocked unconscious and Mr Murray suffered head injuries. A bag was also taken.
The attack was reported to the police and Mr Murray was treated in hospital but discharged himself and spent two days in bed at home.

Mrs Murray said his speech became slurred, but it was not clear he was badly injured.

But at 10.25pm on July 3 police received a report of a man collapsed in Canal Road, Armley, and Mr Murray was rushed to LGI.

Mrs Murray said: "I went straight to the Infirmary and he was in intensive care. It was a big shock to see him, it was horrible."
He has been in a coma ever since.

His sister Sharon Cunningham, 37, said: "His head was as big as a basketball. He had no hair at both sides where they had removed skull to drain blood clots.They operated to remove one clot and then took him back down when they found a second."

"The doctors said they had feared he had no chance of survival. He has two pieces of tape at the sides of his head."

"We talk to him, but we don't get any response. His eyes have opened, but it's just a reaction to his condition.

"I gave him a lift on the Monday before he collapsed. He was slurring his words, but you could not tell that he was ill and he had been walking around a week after the assault. I don't think he realised how seriously hurt he was."

Mrs Murray said Graham, a former pupil of Osmondthorpe Primary and Cross Green High, left school at 16 and for a while worked in the confectionery industry.

Mrs Cunningham, said: "We are just taking it a day at a time that is all we can do. Our life is on hold. He has had a tracheotomy to breathe and suffered an infection.

"We have been told his brain is badly damaged and if he survives he could be like a victim of a stroke or be in bed for the rest of his life."

Anyone who witnessed the incident on June 24 is asked to ring North East Leeds CID on 0113 2413659.

A 15-year-old youth has been charged with an offence of wounding.