Dave Hughes reveals frightening run-in with would-be attacker
What was supposed to be an enjoyable Saturday morning run along a Melbourne beach trail turned into a frightening ordeal for Dave Hughes with the comedian left confused and startled after a bizarre run in with an abusive man.
Confidential
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Dave Hughes says he was chased along a Melbourne beach trail by an abusive man “with bad intent” — but the comedian didn’t realise the danger because he was wearing headphones.
Hughes said the incident happened while he went for a 10km run on Saturday morning.
“I put the AirPods in. I thought, ‘10km, I’ll run with some music in my head. I hit the beach trail,’” Hughes said on his Fox FM radio show today.
“I’m about 2.5 km into the run, and it’s drizzly, and I’ve got the music blaring in my ears. I heard someone scream. I couldn’t quite work it out, but I’m thinking, ‘Are they screaming my name?’
“I hear swearing. I’m not completely sure because I’m focusing on the run, but I’m thinking, Is that person yelling at me, and are they angry with me?’”
Hughes said he has a neck injury, so couldn’t turn his head.
Later, when he got home, Hughes got a message on social media about his risky run.
“My God, Dave,” the message read. “I saw you nearly get attacked by some guy this morning. Are you OK?”
Hughes explained the situation, and pressed for details.
“He was yelling at you, all the words under the Sun … and (there was) a brief chase,” the reply message said.
Asked if the abusive tracker on his tail got close, the answer came back: “Maybe within six metres.”
Hughes said: “I looked at the heat map of the 10km run, and where the guy was chasing me, I’ve sped up, without knowing what was going on.
“A really aggressive guy has chased me … calling me every name under the sun. He’s ran at me, and got within six metres of me. And I’m still jogging my normal pace, and hadn’t looked around.”
Hughes said he contacted Victoria Police for street cam footage of his would-be attacker.
“He had bad intent,” Hughes said. “I want to see what he looks like.”