The family of Rui Medeiros last night criticised the Police response to the beating outside Docksiders.

Angry relatives questioned why no statement had been taken from the victim ? four days after he was beaten so badly he needed plastic surgery to reconstruct his face.

His father, Manuel, and brother, Pedro, said they went to Hamilton Police Station twice on Friday afternoon to give officers the names of two people they believe were involved in last Wednesday?s four-man attack.

The first time they went to the station they said they were told to come back later, because the detective working on the case was out of the office.

On the second visit they handed staff working at the front desk their son?s contact details and said they were told this would be passed on to the detective in charge.

Mr. Medeiros said he was conscious in hospital at the time recovering from surgery in the wake of last Wednesday?s beating.

?They said they would give the detective the number but we?ve not heard a thing since,? Pedro Medeiros told yesterday afternoon.

?They?ve had our numbers since Wednesday. That?s why we went on Friday, to see what was going on. My brother couldn?t go to the Police station and press charges ? he was in hospital.

?I?m doing the hard work for the Police. I?m trying to make their job easier and still nothing. It looks like they are not interested.?

Rui, 31, yesterday said he was disappointed that Police had not been in touch with him.contacted Police yesterday and put the family?s complaints to a spokesman. Within a couple of hours, Chief Inspector Anthony Mouchette had contacted Mr. Medeiros.

The Police spokesman explained that Mr. Medeiros and not his family had to provide officers with a statement in a case like this, and he was now due to do that today. He pledged that a full investigation into the attack would take place.

?The family wanted to make a report,? he added. ?But the individual has to go down and make the report. There?s very little relatives can say if the individual that?s assaulted is not there.?

The spokesman accepted that this situation might have not been fully explained to relatives.

Asked what would have happened if the victim had been in hospital for a lengthy period, he said the Police response depended on the nature of the incident and the type of injury.

?If it?s an assault and it looks like the person is not going to be in hospital for a long time then they (investigating officers) would wait.?

He said he understood the family?s concerns, but said there were ?protocols that have to be followed.?

It is understood Police went to the hospital last Wednesday in the wake of the incident. But the victim was in too much pain to speak to them.

Last night, Mr. Medeiros said he still did not understand why Police did not get back in touch with him again until last night. He left hospital yesterday afternoon.

?They should have come and seen me at the hospital,? he said. ?I?ve been conscious the whole time.?

Meanwhile, Jamahl Simmons, Shadow Minister for Race Relations, joined politicians from both side of the political divide by saying he was ?appalled and outraged? when he heard about the attack on Mr. Medeiros.

?This cowardly act shows contempt for the law, contempt for our community and contempt for the diverse mix of people that make up and contribute to our society. While most of our people have peacefully come together in their enjoyment of the World Cup and all the associated festivities, these criminals have put a dark shadow over the unity and camaraderie that we have enjoyed.?

He called on all Bermudians to unite to condemn racism and violence in all its forms.

?This attack must be condemned and those who carry it out must be brought to justice and punished to the full extent of the law,? he added.