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Anger as shoppers ignore boy, 14, attacked by gang
SHOPPERS ignored a terrified
teenager's cries for help as he was
chased through a North-East
town centre by a gang and beaten
up.
The 14-year-old boy was attacked
three times when 15 yobs
caught up with him during his 40-
minute ordeal on Saturday afternoon
in Bishop Auckland.
Even though the town centre
was crowded with shoppers, nobody
intervened until, when he
eventually reached the Newton
Cap viaduct, a passing motorist
took him home.
Police said the youth was
chased on foot and on bikes in
"very public places" by the gang,
who were aged 13 to 17.
He was singled out at 5pm in
the McDonald's fast-food restaurant,
in Newgate Street, when a
gang member asked him to fight.
He refused, but the gang waited
outside and jumped on him as
he left, ripping off his T-shirt and
jacket.
Scrambling away to the bus station,
he was bought time by one
woman who shouted at his attackers.
But the gang trapped him between
the road and a 32-metre
drop when he tried to make his escape
over the viaduct.
In desperation, he bolted into
the road and pleaded with drivers
to stop.
The driver who stopped described
the scene: "He was in an
awful state. His face was bashed
and bloody and his cheek bones
were swollen. They hunted him
like animals - it was unbelievable."
PC Paul Canvin, of Bishop
Auckland police said: "He's badly
hurt. Six of them punched and
kicked him on the viaduct - someone
could even have fallen over
the edge in the struggle.
"A number of passers-by didn't
stop to help this boy.
"That was the concern of the
young lad's parents, particularly
with the severity of the attack
and where it took place."
The boy's mother, who asked
not to be identified, was angry at
the shoppers' attitude.
She said: "People just left them
to it and they must've seen my
son trying to get away."
Barbara Wilson, 48, of
Coundon Grange, witnessed a
similar attack a few weeks earlier:
"I was at the bus stop on Newgate
Street. I saw a lad, about 11,
running away from two others
crying. The two lads came back
with about ten or 11 others.
"They beat him up for about 20
minutes at the back of the post office.
I heard girls egging them on.
"I felt terrible, but you don't
know what might happen; besides,
it has become a regular occurrence."
Sam Zair, councillor for Bishop
Auckland town centre, said:
"Not all gangs are violent. You
can come across some gangs of
youths and they may be completely
harmless.
"This particular attack was uncalled-
for and unforgivable. We
have to stamp out these vicious
gangs who threaten the public."
Anyone who witnessed the attack
is asked to contact police on
0845-60-60-365.
10:24am Thursday 20th March 2008
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CommentPosted by: jen, co.durham on 3:50pm Thu 20 Mar 08
This is disgraceful and shocking. why the hell didnt noone help this poor boy? I certainly would have intervened and stood between this gang and this boy, and got him home again, or walked with him to the police station, or at least called them.. this infuriates me, being a mother myself, if that was my child screaming for help, i would hope someone passing would answer their pleas. I hope these thugs get caught and justice done!! wishing the boy well, and hope he quickly recovers from his ordeal.
This is disgraceful and shocking. why the hell didnt noone help this poor boy? I certainly would have intervened and stood between this gang and this boy, and got him home again, or walked with him to the police station, or at least called them.. this infuriates me, being a mother myself, if that was my child screaming for help, i would hope someone passing would answer their pleas. I hope these thugs get caught and justice done!! wishing the boy well, and hope he quickly recovers from his ordeal.
Posted by: Jayne, Ingleby Barwick on 3:52pm Thu 20 Mar 08
To think that this poor boy was needing help so desperately and ignored by so many people makes my blood run cold. However, it is typical of todays society - we are so worried about what will happen to us and scared of these pathetic gangs that we are forgeting basic morals. People need to start to think how they would feel if it was them that this happened to!! We have to stand up to these thugs! I wish this poor boy all the best with his recovery, and hope he can put it behind him x
To think that this poor boy was needing help so desperately and ignored by so many people makes my blood run cold. However, it is typical of todays society - we are so worried about what will happen to us and scared of these pathetic gangs that we are forgeting basic morals. People need to start to think how they would feel if it was them that this happened to!! We have to stand up to these thugs! I wish this poor boy all the best with his recovery, and hope he can put it behind him x
Posted by: jen, co.durham on 4:07pm Thu 20 Mar 08
i hope if these people who walked past and left him, are reading this, know that its people like you who are letting thugs get away with doing what they are doing. you've now taught that boy a lesson in life, not to trust or rely on adults, and its so wrong. we're not all like you
i hope if these people who walked past and left him, are reading this, know that its people like you who are letting thugs get away with doing what they are doing. you've now taught that boy a lesson in life, not to trust or rely on adults, and its so wrong. we're not all like you
Posted by: anon51, weardale on 4:10pm Thu 20 Mar 08
welcome to weardale its bandit country. the police seem unable to stop these kind of attacks and its getting worse by the week if you dare to interfere you yourself become a target these thugs will take your registration number and make and color of car and pass it to there friends then its only a matter of time before you are there target
welcome to weardale its bandit country. the police seem unable to stop these kind of attacks and its getting worse by the week if you dare to interfere you yourself become a target these thugs will take your registration number and make and color of car and pass it to there friends then its only a matter of time before you are there target
Posted by: Julie, Peterlee on 6:31pm Thu 20 Mar 08
This boy should have ran into a shop and ask a shop assistant to call the police. Thugs like these are cowards. Wishing him a speedy recovery.
This boy should have ran into a shop and ask a shop assistant to call the police. Thugs like these are cowards. Wishing him a speedy recovery.
Posted by: anon, co durham on 8:52pm Thu 20 Mar 08
[quote][bold]Julie[/bold] wrote:
This boy should have ran into a shop and ask a shop assistant to call the police. Thugs like these are cowards. Wishing him a speedy recovery. [/quote] my son was with the boy who got attacked on saturday, he tried to help him and couldnt so immdeiately phoned the police for help
Julie wrote:
This boy should have ran into a shop and ask a shop assistant to call the police. Thugs like these are cowards. Wishing him a speedy recovery.
my son was with the boy who got attacked on saturday, he tried to help him and couldnt so immdeiately phoned the police for help
Posted by: merryn gibson, darlo on 11:52pm Thu 20 Mar 08
wat happened to cctv they are usually in opperation in town centres and constantly monitored
wat happened to cctv they are usually in opperation in town centres and constantly monitored
Posted by: dan, Willington on 1:37am Fri 21 Mar 08
I heard about this when it happened because this place is about 10min drive away from bishop and the boy is suppose to be from my town, i still dont know who its is but all thugs are cowards 15v1 pathetic
I heard about this when it happened because this place is about 10min drive away from bishop and the boy is suppose to be from my town, i still dont know who its is but all thugs are cowards 15v1 pathetic
Posted by: Dave, Bishop Auckland on 6:43am Fri 21 Mar 08
[quote][bold]merryn gibson[/bold] wrote:
wat happened to cctv they are usually in opperation in town centres and constantly monitored[/quote] To clarify that, yes the town centre has CCTV cameras but I was quoted the following when I was mugged in Bishop Auckland, "The CCTV system is only operational once we have faxed the paperwork off to authorise it's use". Disgraceful. All that money on a CCTV system which is nothing more than a white elephant.
merryn gibson wrote:
wat happened to cctv they are usually in opperation in town centres and constantly monitored
To clarify that, yes the town centre has CCTV cameras but I was quoted the following when I was mugged in Bishop Auckland, "The CCTV system is only operational once we have faxed the paperwork off to authorise it's use". Disgraceful. All that money on a CCTV system which is nothing more than a white elephant.
Posted by: Dave, Darlington on 9:10am Fri 21 Mar 08
[quote][bold]anon51[/bold] wrote:
welcome to weardale its bandit country. the police seem unable to stop these kind of attacks and its getting worse by the week if you dare to interfere you yourself become a target these thugs will take your registration number and make and color of car and pass it to there friends then its only a matter of time before you are there target [/quote] Don't be so ridiculous...apart from the fact that you're crediting them with far, far too much intelligence, you're also providing yet another opt out for people to walk past and do nothing. I can't believe anyone would write that drivel, let alone believe it
anon51 wrote:
welcome to weardale its bandit country. the police seem unable to stop these kind of attacks and its getting worse by the week if you dare to interfere you yourself become a target these thugs will take your registration number and make and color of car and pass it to there friends then its only a matter of time before you are there target
Don't be so ridiculous...apart from the fact that you're crediting them with far, far too much intelligence, you're also providing yet another opt out for people to walk past and do nothing. I can't believe anyone would write that drivel, let alone believe it
Posted by: Steven, Bishop Auckland on 9:15am Fri 21 Mar 08
[quote][bold]Dave[/bold] wrote:
[quote][bold]merryn gibson[/bold] wrote: wat happened to cctv they are usually in opperation in town centres and constantly monitored[/quote] To clarify that, yes the town centre has CCTV cameras but I was quoted the following when I was mugged in Bishop Auckland, "The CCTV system is only operational once we have faxed the paperwork off to authorise it's use". Disgraceful. All that money on a CCTV system which is nothing more than a white elephant.[/quote] The cctv is always operational and always monitored; for a copy you have to fax a request, as per data protection act guidelines, to the central office.It's most certainly not a white elehant; the impact on rowdy nusiance behaviour, especially that linked with the pubs in the market square, has been reduced significantly since its introduction. I wish if people were going to write scare stories that they'd check their facts first
Dave wrote:
merryn gibson wrote: wat happened to cctv they are usually in opperation in town centres and constantly monitored
To clarify that, yes the town centre has CCTV cameras but I was quoted the following when I was mugged in Bishop Auckland, "The CCTV system is only operational once we have faxed the paperwork off to authorise it's use". Disgraceful. All that money on a CCTV system which is nothing more than a white elephant.
The cctv is always operational and always monitored; for a copy you have to fax a request, as per data protection act guidelines, to the central office.It's most certainly not a white elehant; the impact on rowdy nusiance behaviour, especially that linked with the pubs in the market square, has been reduced significantly since its introduction. I wish if people were going to write scare stories that they'd check their facts first
Posted by: merryn gibson, darlo on 12:10pm Fri 21 Mar 08
stephen, i hope you are not suggesting that i was writing any such scare stories. my simple point was that if the camaras were being monitored, why therefor was no action taken to get the boy away from these thugs. as far as i can tell it was a very prolonged attack. i feel for the boy i really do and i hope that the cctv helps bring justice for him. Not that the boys who carried out the attack will get anything more than a telling off!
stephen, i hope you are not suggesting that i was writing any such scare stories. my simple point was that if the camaras were being monitored, why therefor was no action taken to get the boy away from these thugs. as far as i can tell it was a very prolonged attack. i feel for the boy i really do and i hope that the cctv helps bring justice for him. Not that the boys who carried out the attack will get anything more than a telling off!
Posted by: anon, county durham on 11:27pm Sun 23 Mar 08
my son is frightened to go into bishop now, in case he is recognised now by the gang, as the one who tried to help his mate, and is worried incase he is made a target by them
my son is frightened to go into bishop now, in case he is recognised now by the gang, as the one who tried to help his mate, and is worried incase he is made a target by them
Posted by: merryn gibson, darlo on 10:32am Mon 24 Mar 08
thats awful! how old is your son? the sooner these people are bought to justice the better!
thats awful! how old is your son? the sooner these people are bought to justice the better!
Posted by: anon, county durham on 5:54am Tue 25 Mar 08
[quote][bold]merryn gibson[/bold] wrote:
thats awful! how old is your son? the sooner these people are bought to justice the better![/quote] my son is 14 merryn, the same age as the boy who got attacked. And as yet, he is still waiting to give a statement to the police and the attack happened over a week ago now!
merryn gibson wrote:
thats awful! how old is your son? the sooner these people are bought to justice the better!
my son is 14 merryn, the same age as the boy who got attacked. And as yet, he is still waiting to give a statement to the police and the attack happened over a week ago now!
Posted by: Robert, Bishop Auckland on 4:31pm Tue 25 Mar 08
How terrible!!!Has it ever occurred to you that there may be more pressing lines of enquiry first?It seems from the comments on here that everyone and their dog witnessed it, so there'll be a list of statements to take as long as your arm
How terrible!!!Has it ever occurred to you that there may be more pressing lines of enquiry first?It seems from the comments on here that everyone and their dog witnessed it, so there'll be a list of statements to take as long as your arm
Posted by: b archer on 5:11pm Tue 25 Mar 08
firstly i am the mother of the boy who was attacked, and yes i am livid with these animals who targeted my son,i would like to say to anyone who say is reading this that if you did see my son being attacked then please go to the police and tell what you saw even if you dont think it will help... i would like to thankyou all for your support on here and to the police for doing everything they have to help us.
firstly i am the mother of the boy who was attacked, and yes i am livid with these animals who targeted my son,i would like to say to anyone who say is reading this that if you did see my son being attacked then please go to the police and tell what you saw even if you dont think it will help... i would like to thankyou all for your support on here and to the police for doing everything they have to help us.
Posted by: anon crook on 9:48am Wed 26 Mar 08
omg I cant believe it I was in and left macds 20 mins before this happened had i been there i would have intervened that poor boy and how selfish of bypassers to ignore what was going on cowards I have kids myself and would expect someone to help mine out of that situation who cares what the gang would do to you but you cant let a 14 yr old suffer that for fear of repisals to yourself stand up and tell the police what happened if you saw anything its more than that boy deserves lets face it you all owe him my wishes to the family hope his well soon
omg I cant believe it I was in and left macds 20 mins before this happened had i been there i would have intervened that poor boy and how selfish of bypassers to ignore what was going on cowards I have kids myself and would expect someone to help mine out of that situation who cares what the gang would do to you but you cant let a 14 yr old suffer that for fear of repisals to yourself stand up and tell the police what happened if you saw anything its more than that boy deserves lets face it you all owe him my wishes to the family hope his well soon
Posted by: merryn gibson, darlo on 9:24am Thu 27 Mar 08
[quote][bold]b archer[/bold] wrote:
firstly i am the mother of the boy who was attacked, and yes i am livid with these animals who targeted my son,i would like to say to anyone who say is reading this that if you did see my son being attacked then please go to the police and tell what you saw even if you dont think it will help... i would like to thankyou all for your support on here and to the police for doing everything they have to help us.[/quote] i really hope that i never get a phone call or a knock on door about any of my children, i can imagine you and your son have been in complete turmoil over this, and hope that justice is served! did your son know any of his attackers? i just dont get why people would do these things for kicks- they will claim they were provoked most probably, but if any judge takes that as an excuse for 15 lads to terrorise 1 boy he wants sacking!
b archer wrote:
firstly i am the mother of the boy who was attacked, and yes i am livid with these animals who targeted my son,i would like to say to anyone who say is reading this that if you did see my son being attacked then please go to the police and tell what you saw even if you dont think it will help... i would like to thankyou all for your support on here and to the police for doing everything they have to help us.
i really hope that i never get a phone call or a knock on door about any of my children, i can imagine you and your son have been in complete turmoil over this, and hope that justice is served! did your son know any of his attackers? i just dont get why people would do these things for kicks- they will claim they were provoked most probably, but if any judge takes that as an excuse for 15 lads to terrorise 1 boy he wants sacking!
Posted by: Anonymous, somewere on 8:42pm Sat 29 Mar 08
i am the boys nan who was attacked how can people not help i hope it does not happen to there sons or grandchilden because they will know how we feel.
i am the boys nan who was attacked how can people not help i hope it does not happen to there sons or grandchilden because they will know how we feel.
Posted by: REBECCA, wakefield on 10:55am Thu 3 Apr 08
i feel your pain so much as my 18 year old went to the shop last thursday with his g/f at the top of my street a gang of asion,s pulled him down and stamped on his head his back and every where several times where his g/f had to stand and watch there was a bunch of work men an other passer byers but no 1 did any thing eventualy a guy near by foned the police the police brought my son home he had a rockport boot inprint of his face cuts and grazers,for me as a parent my heart and my head cant cope with it and if i had have been able to get hold of a gun at that time i would b doing 20 years now i would have done some 1 some real damage and i no as i try to teach my kids 2 wrongs dont make a right and volience breeds volience but the thoughts of my son in a ball on the floor while a bunch of no hopers r kicking him then they may as well b kicking me its been 1 week now and it isnt get any easier to get my head round i want to do some seriouse damage to them how dare they do that to my boy thank u for listening i had to tell some 1 ps my son got up after the beating and still went to the shop to get me milk and bread (WHAT A STAR)
i feel your pain so much as my 18 year old went to the shop last thursday with his g/f at the top of my street a gang of asion,s pulled him down and stamped on his head his back and every where several times where his g/f had to stand and watch there was a bunch of work men an other passer byers but no 1 did any thing eventualy a guy near by foned the police the police brought my son home he had a rockport boot inprint of his face cuts and grazers,for me as a parent my heart and my head cant cope with it and if i had have been able to get hold of a gun at that time i would b doing 20 years now i would have done some 1 some real damage and i no as i try to teach my kids 2 wrongs dont make a right and volience breeds volience but the thoughts of my son in a ball on the floor while a bunch of no hopers r kicking him then they may as well b kicking me its been 1 week now and it isnt get any easier to get my head round i want to do some seriouse damage to them how dare they do that to my boy thank u for listening i had to tell some 1 ps my son got up after the beating and still went to the shop to get me milk and bread (WHAT A STAR)
Posted by: anon, county durham on 8:13pm Thu 3 Apr 08
[quote][bold]REBECCA[/bold] wrote:
i feel your pain so much as my 18 year old went to the shop last thursday with his g/f at the top of my street a gang of asion,s pulled him down and stamped on his head his back and every where several times where his g/f had to stand and watch there was a bunch of work men an other passer byers but no 1 did any thing eventualy a guy near by foned the police the police brought my son home he had a rockport boot inprint of his face cuts and grazers,for me as a parent my heart and my head cant cope with it and if i had have been able to get hold of a gun at that time i would b doing 20 years now i would have done some 1 some real damage and i no as i try to teach my kids 2 wrongs dont make a right and volience breeds volience but the thoughts of my son in a ball on the floor while a bunch of no hopers r kicking him then they may as well b kicking me its been 1 week now and it isnt get any easier to get my head round i want to do some seriouse damage to them how dare they do that to my boy thank u for listening i had to tell some 1 ps my son got up after the beating and still went to the shop to get me milk and bread (WHAT A STAR)[/quote] i feel really sorry for u about what happened to ur son, its every mothers worst nightmare.
and for him to still go and get ur milk for u too!! he deserves a big hug. hope the police manage to catch the gang who did that to him.........good luck x
REBECCA wrote:
i feel your pain so much as my 18 year old went to the shop last thursday with his g/f at the top of my street a gang of asion,s pulled him down and stamped on his head his back and every where several times where his g/f had to stand and watch there was a bunch of work men an other passer byers but no 1 did any thing eventualy a guy near by foned the police the police brought my son home he had a rockport boot inprint of his face cuts and grazers,for me as a parent my heart and my head cant cope with it and if i had have been able to get hold of a gun at that time i would b doing 20 years now i would have done some 1 some real damage and i no as i try to teach my kids 2 wrongs dont make a right and volience breeds volience but the thoughts of my son in a ball on the floor while a bunch of no hopers r kicking him then they may as well b kicking me its been 1 week now and it isnt get any easier to get my head round i want to do some seriouse damage to them how dare they do that to my boy thank u for listening i had to tell some 1 ps my son got up after the beating and still went to the shop to get me milk and bread (WHAT A STAR)
i feel really sorry for u about what happened to ur son, its every mothers worst nightmare.
and for him to still go and get ur milk for u too!! he deserves a big hug. hope the police manage to catch the gang who did that to him.........good luck x
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