Violent demo over mother ‘raped by a migrant gang’
Six men from Iraq, Syria and Bahrain held over attack on streets of Britain
THE alleged rape of a mother-of-three by a migrant gang triggered a violent demonstration by far-Right activists.
A group of six men from Iraq, Syria and Bahrain were arrested after the woman was taken during an evening out and attacked.
The 26-year- old said she was abducted and woke up in a stranger’s home covered in cuts and bruises.
She fled the scene to get help from a family member in the early hours of the morning and believes her drink had been spiked before she was raped.
The men – aged between 20 and 30 – were arrested over the September 4 attack in Sunderland. They are on bail until October
‘Drink may have been spiked’
17. In retaliation, supporters from the farRight Sunderland Defence League smashed windows in the home where the woman was allegedly held by her attackers.
Last night Sunderland Central MP Julie Elliott called for calm.
The violence erupted when dozens of protesters staged a march through the city and clashed with Asian demonstrators.
Police struggled to control the brawl and five men from the local area were arrested for their part in the disturbance.
Officers had rushed to control the protest which had been attended by more demonstrators than expected.
Two Asian men, unconnected with the alleged rape, were injured in the fracas.
It is the latest in a series of protests by far-Right groups in the North. A series of English Defence League demonstrations have taken place in Rotherham after the town’s grooming scandal, with up to £250,000 being spent on ensuring an extra 500 police were on the streets on each occasion.
The anti-Islam group Pegida UK – led by EDL founder Tommy Robinson – held a ‘silent protest’ there in June against ‘Islamic misogyny and anti-white hatred’.
Chief Inspector Paul Milner said: ‘We know the woman had been in Sunderland city centre on Saturday night before waking up in a strange address in Peel Street with cuts and bruises. She managed to leave the house and get to a family member’s home at 5am on Sunday.
‘The victim believes her drink may have been spiked. This is obviously a very serious incident. We will have officers on patrol to offer reassur- ance to anyone who may be concerned and answer any queries.’
The five arrested men are Philip Hacker, 38, charged with affray and possessing a controlled drug; Gary Hutchinson, charged with affray; Sean Ruffell, 25, charged with affray and possessing an offensive weapon; Darren Kerr, 25, charged with affray; and Kevin Sayers, 30, charged with disorderly conduct.
In a separate case, three Syrian immigrants will appear in court in Newcastle upon Tyne today on charges of sexually assaulting two 14-year- old girls.
Omar Badreddin, 18, Mohammed Alfrouh, 20, and Mohammad Allakkoud, 18, have all pleaded not guilty. A 16-year- old is being dealt with in the Youth Court.
Badreddin is originally from Damascus but fled to Jordan after Syria was gripped by civil war. He is thought to have arrived in the UK in November under the Government’s resettlement scheme.