Detectives have released an image of a man they would like to speak to in connection with a racially motivated attack in Dagenham where the victim was seriously assaulted by a group of men.

Police were called to Bragg Close, at 9.28pm on Sunday, July 21, 2019 to reports of a man who had been assaulted and slashed in the face by a group of men.

The group of about 20 men were believed to have been drinking in the Roundhouse pub, in Lodge Avenue, nearby to where the assault took place.

Police are looking for a white male, betweeen 20 to 30 years old, of chubby build and approximately 5ft 6ins to 5ft 7ins who they believe was involved in the violent and unprovoked racial assault.

The victim, a black man aged in his 30s, had started to drive his car after picking up some take-away food, when he noticed a dark coloured car with two young white men inside.

The men started to shout racial abuse at him.

When the victim, who had his window down, confronted them, he them found himself surrounded by about 20 more white men.

The group started to kick and punch him while he laid defenceless on the floor.

One man slashed the victim in the face, with what officers suspect was a knife.

The victim managed to get up and run away, eventually alerting police by dialling 999.

The suspects then set about damaging the victim’s car.

One of the men got into the driver’s seat and drove the car into the shutters of a nearby premise, causing further damage.

A laptop and tablet were also reported stolen from inside the vehicle.

One year on from the attack, after exhausting all other lines of enquiry, detectives have issued an image of a man they would like to speak to in relation to the racial assault.

Det Con Adelaide Halliday, the investigating officer from the East Area’s CID, said: “This was a violent, unprovoked, racially motivated attack on the victim, which has not only left him with a physical scar but emotional ones too.

“I would appeal for anyone who can identify or knows the man in the image to contact police as soon as possible. I would also ask for anyone that may have been drinking in the nearby Roundhouse pub that evening, Sunday, July 21, 2019, who are aware of this incident to contact police.”

Anyone with information about the man in the image or about the incident itself is asked to contact police on 101 quoting CAD 8064/21JUL2019.

They can also contact the independent charity Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111 or online at crimestoppers-uk.org.

They do not ask your name and cannot trace your call or I.P address.

No arrests have been made. Enquiries continue.