A man who nearly died after being kicked into the path of an oncoming van said he was “devastated” to learn that his attacker could be released from prison early.
James Hatcher, 41, was walking home when Salman Kamraman Karim, a stranger to him, kicked him in front of a moving van.
Disturbing video footage captures the moment Mr Hatcher fell into the van’s path after being attacked by Karim.
The random and unprovoked assault happened on Brighton Road in South Croydon in August 2025.
Mr Hatcher sustained life-threatening injuries, including a brain haemorrhage and fractures to both legs, his ribs, jaw and pelvis.
Doctors placed him in an induced coma, and he underwent several life-saving operations before regaining consciousness six days later.
The Croydon crane driver had to learn to walk again. More than a year after the attack, he remains in physiotherapy to improve his mobility and is still unable to work.
On June 4, 2026, Salman Kamraman Karim was convicted of grievous bodily harm with intent at Croydon Crown Court and sentenced to 11 years in prison.
However, on July 20, 2026, Mr Hatcher received a letter from the Ministry of Justice informing him that Karim was eligible for early release, only a few months into his sentence.
Salman Kamraman Karim attacked James Hatcher on Brighton Road in South Croydon, London, on August 16, 2025
Mr Hatcher suffered life-threatening injuries, including a brain haemorrhage and fractures to his legs, ribs, jaw and pelvis, in the attack
Mr Hatcher, a crane driver, had to learn to walk again and remains in physiotherapy more than a year after the attack, leaving him unable to work
Mr Hatcher, from Croydon, said: “It is sickening that he is eligible for early release.
“He was sentenced in June, and now I am being told that he is eligible for early release.
“If it weren’t for the air ambulance staff, I would not be alive today.”
Under Labour’s early-release scheme, prisoners such as Karim, who would currently serve two-thirds of their sentence before release, will instead be released after serving half.
More than 700 offenders were released from prison on Thursday as part of an effort to relieve pressure on Britain’s overcrowded prisons.
Over the next ten months, more than 4,500 inmates, including violent offenders, will be eligible for early release under Labour’s soft-justice programme.
The group includes thieves and fraudsters, as well as domestic abusers and people convicted of certain violent or sexual offences, prompting concerns about victims’ safety.
Mr Hatcher said the possibility of his attacker being released early had “really hurt” him.
On the day of the attack, he decided to walk home after getting a haircut when he was kicked at random.
He had noise-cancelling headphones in as he walked down the road when a man kicked him in front of an oncoming vehicle.
‘It was a really nice day. I had my haircut, and the bus wasn’t due for a while, so I decided to walk,’ Mr Hatcher said.
Mr Hatcher was placed in an induced coma and underwent multiple life-saving operations before waking up six days later
Six days after the horrific attack, Mr Hatcher woke up from his coma, having no idea where he was
The crane driver spent six weeks in hospital, where he had to relearn how to walk
‘I was walking along the road when a man came out of the vape shop and kicked me in front of an oncoming van.
‘I hit the floor straight away; there was a crowd of people who circled me before the police came and shut the road.’
The van driver spoke to officers at the scene and was not arrested, but a few days later, the Metropolitan Police arrested and charged Karim.
Mr Hatcher said that he required the assistance of the London Air Ambulance team, who arrived in nine minutes.
He said: ‘I broke my legs, my pelvis, ribs, wrist, jaw and had a punctured lung – I had life-threatening injuries.
‘I also had a bleed on the brain.
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‘I was placed in a coma for six days, and underwent multiple operations before I came around.’
Six days after the horrific attack, he woke up from his coma having no idea where he was.
When he woke up, Mr Hatcher said he ‘couldn’t feel his legs’ and realised he was lucky to be alive.
The crane driver spent six weeks in hospital, where he had to relearn how to walk.
On June 4, 2026, Mr Hatcher’s attacker, Salman Kamraman Karim, was found guilty of grievous bodily harm with intent at Croydon Crown Court and sentenced to 11 years in prison, pictured: Mr Hatcher being pushed
The van driver spoke to officers at the scene and was not arrested, but a few days later, the Metropolitan Police arrested and charged Karim
After the horrific attack, Mr Hatcher required the assistance of the London Air Ambulance team, who arrived in nine minutes
To this day, he struggles with mobility and is unable to work.
Mr Hatcher said: ‘At first I couldn’t feel either of my legs; they were really numb. But slowly but surely they came back, and I was able to move them.
‘I still have to go to physio now.’
At Croydon Crown Court, Karim was convicted of causing grievous bodily harm but acquitted of attempted murder.
On June 4, 2026, Karim was sentenced to 11 years in prison, but is facing release just months later.
At the trial, Mr Hatcher didn’t want to see Karim’s face, but decided to attend the sentencing and face down his attacker.
He said: ‘I was on my crutches; it was horrible to see him.
‘I was looking him straight in the eyes, thinking, “you piece of s***”.
’11 years was not a long enough punishment in my opinion; I could have died.’
On July 20, 2026, James received a letter from the Ministry of Justice saying that Karim was eligible for early release.
Mr Hatcher said he was horrified that Karim is eligible, just over a year after the attack, when he is still dealing with the effects of what happened.
‘I am still feeling the effects of what he did to me,’ he said.
‘I am unable to work; the fact that he is eligible for early release really hurts me.’
Last week hundreds of convicts streamed out of prison as part of Labour’s early release scheme.
Criminals grinned with delight and embraced girlfriends waiting for them outside the gates – while others hid their faces using balaclavas and bin bags.
Labour’s soft justice bonanza comes after its previous early release scheme, launched two years ago, led to more than 70,000 criminals being freed early from jail.
Nick Timothy, the shadow justice secretary, said Labour’s scheme put the public at risk.
‘Today’s releases are an insult to victims, a danger to the public, and will only encourage more lawbreaking from criminals who know they have a ticket out of prison,’ he said.
‘Labour say they have no choice but to release prisoners early, but we know they don’t believe in prison. It is their decision to release vile criminals including abusers, historic child sex offenders and human traffickers – but it is the public who will pay the price.’
A prisoner covering his face with a mask raises his hands into the air outside HMP Leeds
Inmates pour out of HMP Durham in the north-east of England last week
The scheme was devised by Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood in her previous role as Justice Secretary.
Most prisoners currently due to serve 40 or 50 per cent of sentences handed down by the courts will be freed after serving 33 per cent.
As the scheme is rolled out in the coming months, criminals convicted of certain violent or sexual offences who were previously eligible for release two-thirds of the way through their sentence will instead be let out at the halfway stage.
The Ministry of Justice was contacted for comment.
