Hate Crime Victims Death Plunge

UNITED KINGDOM - The family of a Blackpool man who plunged to his death from a railway bridge today blamed the trauma he suffered in a vicious knife attack.
Stuart Windsor was said to have been left with deep mental and physical scars after he was slashed across the face by a former neighbour in a drug-fuelled homophobic attack.
The victim lost two pints of blood and needed 114 stitches in his face.
Mr Windsor, 41, died last Wednesday night after falling from Crossleys Bridge in Layton on to the railway track below.
Witnesses told police they saw a man sitting on the bridge parapet, but by the time officers arrived he had already fallen suffering fatal head injuries.
Mr Windsor's family believe the horror of the October 2005 assault stayed with the father-of-two who became tormented with fear.
His sister Sandra said: "Everyone is devastated by what happened.
"We knew he wasn't dealing with things after the attack, but I never thought anything like this would happen.
"The attack really affected Stuart badly, he became very depressed and felt he couldn't go out, it really knocked his confidence. He was very self conscious because of the scars and he was scared of something like that happening again.
"I don't know why someone would do that to another person. I believe the attack played a big part in what happened to my brother last Wednesday.
"He was such a lovely person, he didn't have much, but what he did have he would gladly give to someone if they needed it. We don't know exactly what happened the night he died, but he was very depressed. He wouldn't accept help, but I think he needed proper psychological counselling which he never got."
Mr Windsor moved to Blackpool more than 20 years ago and set up home with his wife and two children.
He was hit hard first by the death of his father 15 years ago and later his mother in 2000, along with the breakdown of his marriage, according to his sister.
But his sister believes it was the attack in his flat on Ashworth Court in Layton which he never got over, despite moving to a new home in Bispham with partner John Carr, a constant in his life for more than five years.
Sandra added: "We hoped he would become more settled in the new flat. We were brought up with a very happy family life, but in recent years Stuart had been depressed. It was one thing after another with the deaths of our parents and the breakdown of his marriage, and then the attack. We're totally devastated."
The coroner will open an inquest into Mr Windsor's death later this week.
Thomas Bampton, 47, formerly of Ashworth Court, Queens Park, was jailed for five years in April after pleading guilty to wounding with intent.
Preston Crown Court was told previous disagreements between Bampton and Mr Windsor led up to the attack. Bampton had been drinking and smoking crack cocaine prior to the incident.
from Blackpool Today