Battered refugee can’t recognise own family
The child refugee attacked by a vicious mob in a suspected race hate crime was so badly beaten he can’t recognise his own brother.
Reker Ahmed, 17, appears to have lost his memory after being set upon by a group of up to thirty people. The Kurdish Iranian schoolboy was left fighting for his life with a fractured spine, fractured eye socket and bleed to the brain following the assault. A boy of 15 and two teenage girls appeared in court yesterday accused of being part of the group who attacked him. They were among 13 people charged over the assault in Croydon, south London, on Friday night. Last night Reker’s brother hadi Ahmed, 23, fought back tears as he described seeing him in hospital for the first time. he said: ‘When I first saw him, I ran up to him saying, “Brother, brother!” ‘But he looked at me and just said, “Are you my brother?” ‘I said, “Yes of course, what are you talking about?” But he didn’t recognise me. ‘I was shocked, I burst into tears and hugged him, saying, “I’m your brother, I’m your brother.” But he didn’t have any affection for me and he didn’t want to hug me. ‘It was horrible. I was crying and he said, “Why are you crying? Are you sick?” because he had no memory.’ hadi, who lives in the UK, said he was ‘heartbroken’ after the visit at London’s King’s College hospital. he said his brother’s face was so swollen and bruised he could barely recognise him. ‘his eyes were all red and black,’ he said. ‘It was shocking.’ A Just-Giving page for Mr Ahmed has raised more than £20,000. The youth arrived in the UK around last July after coming with family from Iran to Calais, initially staying at a hostel in Bognor Regis. Yesterday friends revealed how just half an hour before the brutal attack he had told them how coming to england had been a ‘dream come true.’ he said to one friend who was with him during the attack: ‘That’s all I wanted in my life and I’m here now.’ Croydon Magistrates’ Court yes- terday heard that construction worker Ben harman is accused of chasing Mr Ahmed down in his car, coming to a halt only a yard away from the asylum seeker as he lay on the floor. The 20-year-old from Croydon is charged with violent disorder and dangerous driving. A barmaid from nearby The Goat pub ellie Leite, 19, semi-professional footballer James Neves, 22, of Beckenham, south- east London, Liam Neylen, 19, and Kyran evans, 23, from Croydon, were all charged with violent disorder. An earlier hearing was attended by a 15-year- old boy and 17-year- old girl. The pair, who cannot be named, are charged with violent disorder. Another boy, 17, was charged with violent disorder and wounding with intent. All eight were granted conditional bail. Five others appeared in court on Monday on charges of violent disorder and racially aggravated grievous bodily harm. The case has been sent for trial on May 2.