Monday, March 17, 2008

Canon Ainsworth's wife 'shocked by attack'

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2008/03/17/nvicar117.xml

[The Telegraph] 17 Mar 2008--The wife of vicar who was beaten up by youths in a suspected faith hate crime yesterday spoke of the "shock and distress" caused by the attack.

With her husband still recovering in hospital yesterday, Jan Ainsworth - herself an ordained priest - took over the service at his east London church.

Canon Michael Ainsworth, 57, was set upon by two Asian youths after confronting a gang outside St George-in-the-East Church in Tower Hamlets.

At the time of the attack, the clergyman was wearing his dog collar and it is alleged that one of the attackers shouted "f***ing priest" during the assault on March 5 at around 7pm.

It is thought that Canon Ainsworth went outside the church to ask three youths to quieten down. He was then punched and kicked by two of them and suffered from cuts, bruises and two black eyes.

He was taken to hospital and treated, but later had to be readmitted because of complications to a nose injury.

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