A 23-year-old Surrey man accused of viciously beating a man and woman in Douglas Park on the Easter long weekend has been to court facing six charges in relation to the attack and previous vandalism.
Michael Hartley-Watts, 23, recently ppeared in Surrey Provincial Court charged with assault causing bodily harm, assault, utter threats and three counts of mischief $5,000 or under. At the time of the attack and arrest, Langley RCMP said the accused is well known to police.
His record reflects similar violence. He has been charged with assault and is before the court on similar charges in Chilliwack.
Hartley-Watts makes his next court appearance June 4. He is not in custody.
It was around 8:30 p.m., when David Norman, 63, was walking with a 65-year-old woman in Douglas Park when they came across a young man urinating on the sidewalk in front of them.
“I told him he should go urinate in the bushes or use a bathroom,” said Norman. “He then decided he was going to kill me.”
Norman described his attacker as 6’3” inches tall and around 230 pounds.
The attacker tried punching Norman but ended up tackling him to the ground, while another young man jumped in, kicking at Norman.
The attack left Norman with broken ribs.
He also had bruising and swelling all over his arms and hands where he protected his face and head.
Norman’s female friend told the men she was calling police, and that’s when the attacker went after her, punching her in the head and trying to take her phone, Norman said at the time. She is still suffering from the attack, he said,
Langley RCMP confirm that a group of young men were out in the area causing mischief, with the one involved in the attack also allegedly responsible for kicking off the side mirrors of three vehicles in the area.
