Gym owner’s help for park attack lad

A YOUNG boy who was beaten up on camera is being helped to learn how to fight off bullies in the future.

Mick Ellis, who runs BST (Blood, Sweat and Tears) Gym in Nuneaton has been working to boost the teenager’s confidence.

It follows footage of the boy being beaten up in Snow Hill Recreation Ground in Hartshill on Easter Monday.

His mum Nicolene Shepherd released the video of her 15-year-old son Trevor Thompsett to raise awareness of bullying.

After the video went viral, Mick was told about it and asked if he could help.

He told the Telegraph: “You see this sort of thing on Facebook and it’s always bad but when you see that it’s close to home it’s just awful.

“I think it’s always happened but we have people with phones now filming it, I don’t think it’s a new thing, we are never going to get rid of bullying but people should know how to protect themselves.”

Mick commented on the video offering to train the boy for free and his mum got in touch to find out more.

“He came down and to be honest he was a bit of a wreck,” Mick added. “Now he is coming down twice a week.”

Nicolene has been really pleased with the training. She said: “I think it’s amazing.

“It’s one of the good things that has come from raising awareness, I think it’s absolutely amazing.”

When the boy first arrived at Mick’s gym he spent some time talking to him and Mick immediately knew his confidence needed a boost. Mick added: “When I first spoke to him he was sitting there shaking, he was a bit worried and so I am teaching him to have more confidence.

“Now he is coming down and I can see things improving.

“I can see he is smiling a little bit more.”

Although Trevor feels more sceptical about the physical side of boxing, his mum agrees that is has helped him mentally.

She said: “He certainly feels better about this whole thing mentally. Physically, he isn’t overly keen because he doesn’t like the idea of being violent at all but I think he knows it’s necessary.

“He needs to see it not as a violent thing, it’s just protection. I am not saying punch them but be able to at least block it.

“I want to get my other boys doing it as well.”

In the video, Trevor is shown being punched, kicked and stamped on. Mick and Nicolene both believe that everyone should be able to defend themselves.

Nicolene said: “Watching that video, he was just stood there, he looked completely out of sorts, I was watching that video thinking just do something.”

Mick added: “He had no fightback and the other lad was doing it just to show off.

“It’s about learning how to defend yourself, It’s not even always bullying, there will be something everywhere you go, you are never going to stop it.

“I don’t believe in going out and beating someone up but if someone is making you feel threatened you should be able to defend yourself.

“In law if someone comes up to you, and you feel threatened you can defend yourself.”

Warwickshire Police is investigating the attack and a 13-yearold boy has been interviewed under caution.

A file has been passed to the Crown Prosecution Service.