Battered asylum seeker ‘lucky to be alive’
As 5 appear in court over vicious attack by mob of 30, police tell of horrific injuries...
A WOMAN sobbed next to her boyfriend in court yesterday as they were accused of a ‘horrendous’ racially-motivated attack involving up to 30 people on a teenage asylum seeker.
Danyelle Davis, 24, clutched the hand of Barry Potts, 20, in the dock charged over the assault on a Kurdish Iranian student.
Reker Ahmed, 17, was ‘lucky to be alive’ after being subjected to a ‘prolonged, violent assault’ which included being kicked and having his head stamped on, police said.
The child refugee, who had to be put into a coma, received a fractured spine, fractured eye socket and bleeding on the brain after being set upon purely because of his ethnicity, Croydon Magistrates’ Court heard. His two asylum-seeker friends were also chased by the group, which stole Mr Ahmed’s watch and two gold chains after beating him, it was alleged.
Fellow accused George Walder, 20, was told to take his hands out of his pockets by Deputy District Judge Richard Hawgood at the start of the 30-minute hearing.
His brother, Jack Walder, gave a thumbs- up to relatives in the public gallery.
Police have made 16 arrests but are hunting up to 30 people said to be involved in the beating at just before midnight in Croydon, south London, on Friday night. Prime Minister Theresa May condemned the attack as ‘absolutely despicable’.
Mr Ahmed was on his way home with two friends at a bus stop when they were set upon. Speaking at the scene yesterday, Detective Superintendent Jane Corrigan graphically described how he had been ‘viciously beaten’ and would be ‘scarred for
‘Not seen attack like this for a long time’
life’. ‘ This is a horrendous attack which is racially motivated,’ she said. ‘He is lucky not to have lost his life. This was the most extreme type of attack, where you have individuals stamping on a person’s head – there is no provocation for that.’
Detectives are investigating whether the attackers had been drinking in The Goat pub nearby before approaching the friends.
She said: ‘This was an unprovoked attack... They specifically asked if they were asylum seekers and when they confirmed they were, they were set upon by this group that then grew. He’s going to be scarred for life as a result of the beating he sustained.., but what I can say is that without doubt this will leave a lasting psychological scar.
‘I’ve not seen an attack of this nature for very long time, and it is really disturbing.’
Det Supt Corrigan added: ‘I genuinely don’t think people have gone out with the intention to commit this horrific attack.
‘You’ve got a really difficult mix of youth, time of night, alcohol, and it only takes one person to say some-
thing to spark off something massive.’ Mr Ahmed was living in another part of Croydon with a foster family, having only recently arrived in the UK.
He has been moved out of intensive care, but officers were waiting to speak to him last night and trying to trace his family back in Iran.
Meanwhile, a Kurdish community leader yesterday feared reprisals but urged locals to stay calm. Abdullah Abdullah, chairman of the local Kurdish cultural centre, said: ‘He was just a young boy. But I fear the Kurdish community may become hotheaded over this and seek revenge.
‘The last thing we need is more violence on our streets and I would urge the community to let the police do their jobs and bring those responsible to justice.’
Yesterday, friends told how Mr Ahmed would spend his days attending college in Croydon before sometimes going for a game of dominoes at the Middle East Shisha, a traditional tea house in the area.
A member of the Kurdish community, who gave his name as Mohammad, told The Guardian: ‘He used to play dominoes here. He was polite and wasn’t racist. He was happy he was living here, he was trying to learn English.’
In an unusual move, the Prime Minister made a public appeal on behalf of the police for witnesses to the assault. Mrs May said she shared the sentiments of local MP Gavin Barwell who described the gang of attackers as ‘scum’.
Speaking to reporters on a flight to Jordan, a visibly angry Mrs May said: ‘This was an absolutely abominable attack, completely unacceptable.
‘I just hope that anybody who has any information about this will give that information to police.’
Danyelle Davis and her brother Daryl Davis, 20, Potts, and the Walder brothers, all from Croydon, spoke only to confirm their names, dates of birth, and addresses as they were accused of violent disorder at yesterday’s hearing.
George Walder, who is also charged with racially-aggravated grievous bodily harm, was remanded in custody. The rest were released on bail. They are due to appear at Croydon Crown Court on May 1. Kyran Evans, 23, and a 17-year-old girl were last night also charged with violent disorder and are due to appear in court today.
Police are also trying to trace the driver and occupants of a car that stopped at the scene during the attack.
The vehicle is described as a white hatchback with a black roof.