The shocking moment a man knocked a 12-year-old boy unconscious on the Costa del Sol, because the noise of a football bothered him

A twelve-year-old boy has allegedly been hospitalised by an adult neighbour in Estepona for playing football. He was knocked unconscious by the man and suffered bruising to his face in the attack on Friday 10 November at his residential development.

Íker (not his real name) had been playing football with three friends at 6pm when the 38-year-old man yelled at them to stop playing because the noise of the ball bothered him. It was not the first time that the alleged aggressor had done so. But on this occasion he knocked Íker out with a punch in the face.

Íker's friend captured the shocking aggression in a video taken on his phone. The attacker is seen approaching the child and punching him on his left cheekbone. If the scene is chilling, the audio is even more so. The video captures the backward movement of Íker's head and the sound of the forceful blow before he slumps, unconscious, against the wall on which the kids were leaning.

The boy’s grandmother looked out of her flat when she heard screaming and saw her grandson lying on the ground. The police arrived quickly on the scene, as did an ambulance. Íker was unconscious for several minutes, before he regained consciousness. He was rushed to the Costa del Sol Hospital in Marbella where he was found to have bruising on the face and pain opening his mouth. His injuries were described as “mild” in a hospital report.

Police officers did not find the alleged aggressor at his home, but sources confirmed that a report has been filed in relation to the incident. However, they said, given the level of injuries indicated by the medical report, he has not been arrested.

Íker's mother said she has tried to speak to the “conflictive” neighbour on several occasions, of who she said “everyone is afraid”. He has lived below her property for a little over a year and regularly complains about the noise of the ball as he usually sleeps during the day. According to her, the man previously threatened that he would “kill” the boy.

“Now I am more scared than ever. I honestly thought that at least he would be arrested,” Íker's mother said.

The traumatised child has been prescribed medication to combat anxiety during the day and diazepam at night to help him sleep.