Moped thugs ran me over when I ignored catcalls
A YOuNG woman who ignored the catcalls of two thugs was run down by one of the men who reversed his moped over her.
Pagan Motlagh-Phillips, 19, was walking home from a shopping trip with her 18-year-old brother Trojan when the attack took place.
One of the men shouted: ‘You alright, darling?’ But she steadfastly refused to acknowledge repeated catcalls and the men began threatening the pair.
The riders left but reappeared moments later and drove straight at the siblings on the pavement.
Miss Motlagh-Phillips pushed her brother out of the way, but she was thrown to the ground as one of the bikes hit her, knocking her unconscious.
One of the riders then reversed his bike over her body, ripping her clothing and tearing her skin. Hospital doctors found she had suffered internal bruising.
Miss Motlagh-Phillips, a housing benefit officer for Newham Council in east
‘Could have been killed’
London, said: ‘I do not believe a woman should have to put up with being catcalled on the street so I took a stand – but it nearly cost me my life.
‘I could have been killed, but I believe in social justice and more must be done to catch those committing such crimes against women.’
The teenager, who is planning a career in social law, added: ‘By standing up and being counted I’m hoping other women come forward and more pressure will be put on the police and things will change for the better.’
Miss Motlagh-Phillips took to social media to highlight her ordeal which happened as she came home to Rainham, east London, from Lakeside shopping centre in essex last June.
She wrote on Twitter: ‘He drove up the road to gain more speed and then drove straight into me. Just in case I wasn’t already in enough pain he reversed over my unconscious body and drove off. He did this in daylight outside a supermarket, with no care if the police caught him or I died, all because I wouldn’t talk to them.’
Hitting out at the handling of her case, she added: ‘There were several witnesses, it happened in broad daylight, there is CCTV, yet you [police] are unable to make an arrest.
‘I am traumatised, I can’t sleep without medication and going to work every day is becoming harder and harder.’
The teenager has since cut her hair short in the hope she is not recognised by the bikers again. She added: ‘ Getting ready has become a chore of me attempting to make myself look as different as possible to the day I was run over.’
Scotland Yard said a 21-yearold man had been arrested but no further action was taken because of a lack of evidence.
A spokesman said: ‘Officers from Havering CID investigated and CCTV footage was obtained but it was not possible to identify the suspects.’
Police asked anyone with information to call 101 using reference number 5409597/16.