Man left with horrific facial injuries in attack after tagging along to girlfriend's work party

A mechanic was left bloodied and bruised after being attacked while on a night out.

Daniel Rees, aged 24, was reportedly left sprawled across the pavement with a fractured eye socket, split eyelid and a suspected broken nose after he and his partner left a nightclub in the early hours of December 14.

His girlfriend Chelsea Pryce, with whose work's Christmas party Daniel had tagged along in Cardiff, detailed how he later admitted to her that he thought he was going to die as he received punch after punch.

Wales Online reports that Chelsea, aged 21, said: "We left the venue at about 2.30am in the morning but, when we got outside, this bloke just came from nowhere and punched Dan in the face."

Chelsea also said that she barely had enough time to scream before the attacker, along with another man who pinned Daniel down, continued his assault.

"I could hear him calling my name but I couldn't get to him," she said.

Chelsea said she'll never be able to get this image of her boyfriend out of her head (Chelsea Pryce)

The 24-year-old mechanic is still recovering and requires surgery (Chelsea Pryce)

"And when the police finally came it was Dan they handcuffed and put in the back of the van, despite the fact he was completely covered in blood and clearly badly injured.

"Eventually though they removed the handcuffs and blue lighted us to the nearby University Hospital of Wales.

"There we had to wait for 14 hours in A&E, during which time Dan told me he thought he was going to die as he was lying there and the blows kept coming.

"Honestly, I'll never get the image of his bloodied, swollen face out of my mind for a long as I live.

Daniel Rees, photographed here in the back of a police van, then had to wait 14 hours in A&E (Chelsea Pryce)

She added that Daniel can still barely see properly as a result of his injuries, for which he's awaiting an operation this weekend.

South Wales Police said it is investigating an incident which took place in St Mary Street during the early hours of Tuesday, December 14.

"From initial CCTV enquiries, it appears that two men were assaulted at around 2.30am and one of them was taken to hospital," said a spokesperson.

"There have been no charges and enquiries are on-going.

"Anyone with information is asked to contact South Wales Police quoting occurrence number 2100434621, or visit the website here.

"They can also phone 101, send us a private message on Facebook/Twitter or email: SWP101@south-wales.police.uk."

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