‘I remember every crunch’: Thugs repeatedly punch 72-year-old in home invasion at Raymond Terrace

Vietnam veteran Barry Lee has been left battered and bruised after two youths broke into his home and bashed him after he refused to hand over his wallet and smokes. See the shocking pictures of his injuries.

Barry Lee was robbed and bashed by thugs at his home in Raymond Terrace.

• Malicious damage at East Maitland
• Man charged after tomahawk attack

An elderly man has been driven from his home and is too scared to return, after youths stormed his Raymond Terrace house, bashed him before robbing him and fleeing.

Vietnam veteran Barry Lee, 72, has been left battered and bruised after two youths broke into his home on Saturday night and punched him repeatedly after he refused to hand over his wallet and smokes.

“The kids knocked on the door around 10pm and wanted a cigarette and I said “I don’t give out cigarettes” and then walked off but later on I heard a knock at the front door,” Barry said.

Mr Lee shows his injuries that he got when he was punched in the home invasion.

The 72-year-old suffered wounds to his face and arms.

“No one was there and then there was a knock at the back door, and again no one was there, then a tap on the window, they were harassing me.

“I wasn’t going to let them in and the next thing the door burst open and in they came, then they went back out again.

“I said “what do you blokes want” and they answered “your money”, I said “I don’t have any”, and they replied “we want your wallet”.

“One of the blokes then shaped up and said “come on let’s get it on” so we got into a fight and the bloke from behind came in over the top. He hit me three times, I remember every crunch.

“When he knocked me down, I got caught in the door, he reached down and pulled out my wallet and went inside and took a couple of packet of cigarettes and then they left.

Son Brennan Lee (left) is fed up after his dad Barry (right) has been targeted by young thugs.

Police are investigating after thugs bashed and robbed the Vietnam veteran at his Raymond Terrace home on Saturday.

“I was trying to fight back but the bloke hit me so hard and I was seeing stars.”

Mr Lee called police and they came within minutes, before he was taken to hospital to be treated for several wounds to his face and arms.

Shockingly it’s not the only time he’s been targeted, in the past month enduring several confrontations with the same thugs, who have intimidated and harassed him, broke into his car, smashed windows and threatened him with a pair of scissors.

“It’s all the same kids, the local riff raff,” Barry said.

On Friday September 13, Barry said he was looking for some cigarettes in his car for a guy he knew, when he didn’t realise three others has snuck into his home.

“I came back locked the door watching TV and next thing, in they came they frightened me, they had scissors through their fingers,” Barry added.

“They said “we want your money” and I said “I don’t have any” and said I didn’t hand over my wallet they would stab me.

Mr Leewiths son Brennan after he was bashed and robbed at his Raymond Terrace home.

“I called their bluff and said “try it” before they grabbed a couple of smokes, kicked the back door in and took off.”

Three weeks ago the same youths on bikes were trying to intimidate him, again asking for smokes but fortunately left without any incident.

“It was four against one, so not good odds,” he said.

His son Brennan, who used to live with him at the Brown street address, is fed up with the treatment of his dad, who has now moved in with him, his partner and their four month old.

“We’ve had enough of this happening to him, it’s not safe for him to be there anymore, he’s going to be with us and we’ll just go back there when we need to get things,” Mr Lee said.

“His safety is priority number one, second is getting him housing away from there.”

“I used to live there and they came to the doors and asked for smokes but when I said no they would leave, it’s just now because he’s living by himself they are targeting him.”

Brown Street in Raymond Terrace is known to be a notoriously bad area.

As police continue their investigations, Mr Lee’s family wants people to be aware of the dangers of living alone, especially for the elderly.

And while Mr Lee is now safe, it’s hoped these thugs won’t turn their attention to other elderly people living in the street.

“I was their favourite but now I’m not there, they’ll probably target someone else,” Barry said.

His son added, “It makes me upset they have done this to my dad.

“They need to be accountable for what they have done, to learn from their mistakes, this is not right to go around and pick on elderly people.”