Blind man 'was banned from shop'

Ipswich County Court heard yesterday how retired bricklayer John Hammond was confronted
by “screaming and shouting” Leona Bracey as he tried to enter a Felixstowe antiques
shop with his dog Ingram. Mr Hammond, who was wearing a yellow sash identifying him as a guide dog user, was blocked by a furious Bracey at the Cobwebs Antique Centre last September. The 61-year-old, from March in Cambridgeshire, was in the area on a holiday when
‘the incident happened.’

‘But District Judge Patrick Bazley White found in favour of Mr Hammond, awarding damages and costs of £1,834.
He said: “I'm quite satisfied that the claimant is entitled to damages and was hurt and distressed as a result of the defendant's conduct. The claimant lost confidence in the use of his guide dog, which is particularly important.”
After the case, Mr Hammond said: “She showed no remorse. I was very shocked when
it happened - I had never encountered anything like that before. “It sets you back a tremendous amount and I'm always on guard now, waiting for it
to happen again.”
He added: “I'm hoping disabled people who may have been treated like me will take
encouragement from this and not let people push them around. You've got to stand
up for yourself.”