Daily Mail

Young refugee ‘was hunted and beaten up by gang of five’

- By Christian Gysin

A GANG of five youths attacked a teenage refugee in a ‘disgracefu­l and cowardly display of violence’, a court heard yesterday.

Reker Ahmed, 17, suffered a bleed to the brain after the vicious assault outside a pub, the jury was told.

The Kurdish youngster was also left with facial and spine fractures as well as cuts and bruises after being targeted and ‘chased down’ in two separate clashes.

The horrific incident in Croydon, South London, happened after Mr Ahmed and two friends had been out at a nearby club. CCTV played in court showed men talking with Mr Ahmed and one of his companions before the pair walked to a bus stop to join their other friend.

Moments later, at least a dozen drinkers from The Goat pub are seen chasing after the friends.

Mr Ahmed was caught by the group in the middle of the road and pulled to the floor, where he was repeatedly punched and kicked.

Ben Harman, 21, Barry Potts, 21, George Jeffrey, 21, and Ellie Leite, 19, all from Croydon, and Jack Walder, 24, from Crystal Palace, all deny charges of violent disorder.

Opening the case, prosecutor Ben Holt told Croydon Crown Court: ‘There will be no doubt in your minds...that what took place that night was a disgracefu­l and cowardly display of violence and aggression by a group of friends including these defendants, but also others.

‘They, as a pack, chased down and attacked the victim in this case for no apparent purpose.

‘ It might be that they were fuelled by alcohol, it might be that they simply did not like the look of the victim and his friends. Indeed, it will not be challenged during the course of this case that this was an incident of inexcusabl­e violence.’

The prosecutor added that all five could be convicted of violent disorder for being at the scene of the attacks on Mr Ahmed, even if they were not directly involved.

The trial would revolve around evidence from three specific CCTV cameras near the attacks, which happened on March 31 last year, the court was told.

The jury was told there were images of Harman and Jeffrey arriving on the scene with another man in a white car. As Mr Ahmed was beaten in the street, Harman could be seen standing over him and kicking him.

He then drove the car close to Mr Ahmed with his headlights on the victim as others continued the attack.

Mr Holt said: ‘Here we say Harman was offering light to those who are continuing the attack.’

When Jeffrey arrived earlier in Harman’s car, he could be seen bringing Mr Ahmed to the ground with a ‘footballer’s slide tackle’, the court heard.

The trial, which is expected to last four weeks, continues.

 ??  ?? Attacked: Teenage refugee Reker Ahmed
Attacked: Teenage refugee Reker Ahmed
 ??  ?? Accused: Barry Potts, Jack Walder, Ben Harman, George Jeffrey and Ellie Leite outside court yesterday
Accused: Barry Potts, Jack Walder, Ben Harman, George Jeffrey and Ellie Leite outside court yesterday
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