I was defenceless prey, says student robbed by ‘Good Samaritan’ rioters
A STUDENT has described how he was powerless to defend himself against ruthless rioters who pretended to be Good Samaritans before robbing him.
Ashraf Rossli, 21, suffered a broken jaw when he was punched and knocked from his bike as looting spread across the country last August.
He was pulled to his feet by a man supposedly helping him while actually allowing an accomplice to rifle through his rucksack.
Video footage of the attack on the young Malaysian, who had been in the UK for only a month, became one of the most disturbing images of the riots.
In a statement read to a court yesterday, Mr Rossli said: ‘I knew they were stealing from me but I could do nothing. Once they had taken what they wanted they left.
‘As I sat on the pavement with blood pouring from my mouth I remember being approached by a male who asked if I was OK.
‘I remember being pulled to my feet then I felt someone again tugging at my rucksack. I
‘Blood was pouring from my mouth’
was not in a position to defend myself as I was still suffering from the effects of being hit.’
Millions of people worldwide viewed the footage of the attack in Barking, East London, on Youtube.
A Sony computer console and ten games worth £500 were taken from Mr Rossli’s bag in just a few seconds. The victim said he had already been set upon by other groups of youths who surrounded him as he tried to cycle over a flyover to reach a woman friend who had called for his help.
‘I could see some of them had wooden sticks and the majority were wearing hoodies which were pulled up. I felt they could be responsible for some of the disorder,’ he said. ‘I slowed down but my friend told me to cycle through.
‘Then they closed together and blocked my path. I couldn’t tell how many people there were. I braced myself to be attacked. Everything happened so quickly. Some of them tugged at my bike and shouted “Give me your bike.” I could feel people tugging at my rucksack.’
Shortly afterwards Mr Rossli was set upon by another group, which included Beau Isagba, 17, who was convicted by a court earlier this month of punching him.
The accountancy student said the group demanded his bike and somebody was feeling in his jacket pocket for his mobile phone.
He said: ‘I turned round to see who was attempting to steal my mobile phone and I felt an impact on the side of my face.
‘The force knocked me to the floor. Blood was pouring from my mouth and I could feel it running on to my hands. I was disorientated and confused. I remember my bike being taken.’
He was helped to safety by two women and taken to hospital where he had surgery in which a metal plate was inserted into his jaw.
John Kafunda, 22, and Reece Donovan, 24, are on trial at Wood Green Crown Court i n North London accused of being the two men responsible for the robbery.
When he was arrested Donovan cl aimed he had been at his mother’s house i n Limehouse, East London.
But a witness who saw the footage on the news said he ‘knew straight away’ that Donovan was responsible f rom his clothing, distinctive walk and the way he smoked.
And someone else came forward to tell police the second man was Kafunda, of Ilford, because she recognised his face and clothing. In a police interview, Kafunda said he was not at the scene of the attack – had he been he would have stopped it and taken the victim to safety.
Kafunda said: ‘A million per cent I never met the geezer in my life. That’s not me. If that was me I would have physically stopped it, but that’s not me there.’
The two defendants deny robbery, theft and violent disorder.
The trial continues.