British diplomat mugged in London, blinded in left eye

GlobalPost

A British diplomat was mugged in London on Friday and has lost the sight of his left eye, according to The Associated Press.

George Fergusson, 56, was assaulted and robbed of some cash in west London. He works for the Foreign Office and was about to become the governor of Bermuda, BBC News reported. According to the AP, he still plans to take up the position despite the events of Friday, which occured in Hammersmith in West London.

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Doctors had fought to save Fergusson's eyesight. Police had told the Associated Press that Fergusson had made his own way to hospital despite his injuries.

Muggings have become more common in the United Kingdom. In January, The Daily Telegraph reported  that robberies increased by four percent last year, while incidences of personal crimes such as violence and theft made their largest increase in at least a decade. According to the British Crime Survey's figures, a victim is robbed at knifepoint every 30 seconds. 

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