A father of four was punched and knocked to the ground — his head slamming on to the pavement — when he and his cousin tried to get three aggressive young men away from his Huntingdale takeaway chicken store.

Sam, 51, is in hospital with bleeding on his brain and a fractured jaw after he was “sucker-punched” on Thursday evening, his cousin said.

Police are now looking for the assailant and two accomplices, described as dark-skinned teenagers, who confronted the owners and staff of Charco’s on Warton Road about 10pm.

Camera Icon Charco’s co-owner Jeries Fashhowith his nephew Michael Boladian. Credit: The West Australian

Charco’s co-owner Jeries Fashho, Sam’s cousin, said the shop was closed and he, his cousin and three others were cleaning up when a young man burst through an unlocked door.

“He was screaming, I don’t even know what he was saying,” Mr Fashho said.

“He started throwing chairs everywhere. I was worried about the safety of my staff ... I chased him out and he had two other guys with him.”

Mr Fashho said his cousin Sam followed him outside to make sure he was OK and they urged the trio to go away.

“They were off their heads, one of them was definitely on something,” he claimed.

Mr Fashho said his cousin was warily watching one of the men, who was jumping around threatening to attack him, when another of the group punched him in the side of the face.

“He knocked him unconscious and he hit the floor, the concrete, and he was out,” Mr Fashho said.

“The guy who hit him was actually telling us, ‘I’m leaving, I’m leaving, leave us alone, I’m leaving’, and then he sucker-punched him.”

He said the trio ran as he rushed to help his cousin.

The family has owned the business for about 15 years and Mr Fashho said that was the first serious incident.

“It was terrible, disgusting, very cowardly,” he said. He said his cousin was recovering.

“That’s the most important thing. He has a fractured jaw and bleeding on the back of his head ... he was bleeding out of his ear ... but they’re monitoring that,” Mr Fashho said.

Anyone who can help police identify the trio is asked to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or crimestopperswa.com.au.