Bashing victim in an induced coma

A MAN viciously bashed with a fence paling in Cootamundra early on Sunday has been airlifted in an induced coma to a Sydney hospital.

Josh Purtell, 21, was attacked while walking home from a Cootamundra hotel about 2am on Sunday.

He was flown to Sydney’s St George Hospital on Monday night.

Cootamundra police say Mr Purtell noticed a group of men in the front yard of a friend’s house at the intersection of Ursula and Hurley Sts and stopped to see what they were doing, according to reports.

One of the men, an 18-year-old Cootamundra man who has since been charged, allegedly struck Mr Purtell in an ensuing melee.

Mr Purtell managed to get home and locked the door.

At about 2:30am a friend took him to Cootamundra Hospital where he remained until Monday, when he was taken to Wagga Wagga Base Hospital for a CT scan which revealed he was suffering bleeding on the brain.

He was then airlifted to Sydney.

Mr Purtell reportedly also suffered two fractures to his skull, and a fractured cheekbone and eye socket.