I'm posting this directly from the Mail because the incident sickens me so much. There are times when I wonder if we have simply lost control of the streets.
A 60-YEAR-OLD man was kicked to the ground by a gang of up to 20 yobs after confronting them for throwing stones at his car. The shocking attack happened at 8.50pm on Sunday as the local man drove along Wiltshire Way, in Hartlepool.After stones were thrown at his car by a gang of up to 20 youths – many of them on bikes – the man stopped his vehicle and got out to confront them near to Springwell School. One of the yobs kicked the man with such force that he fell to the ground while another member of the gang punched him and left him with a cut to his right eye. The rest of the group watched as the attack continued, but then fled around Throston estate after a passer-by called police.
Today officers launched an investigation into what they are describing as an "unprovoked" assault, and appealed for any witnesses to come forward.
A spokeswoman for Cleveland Police said: "Police are appealing for witnesses in relation to an assault in Wiltshire Way, Hartlepool, last night.
"A 60-year-old man was assaulted by 15 to 20 youths in an unprovoked attack on Wiltshire Way close to Springwell School. The victim was driving along in his car when stones started to get thrown at it. He got out of the car and confronted the group of young lads on bikes, and one of them has kicked him to the ground and another has punched him in the face, "He was left with a cut to his eye."
She added: "Thankfully he hasn't been badly injured although this must have been a very intimidating and scary situation. It wasn't particularly late when this happened so you would think there will have been other people in the area at the time. If anybody was out and about in the area around that time and saw youths in that area, or youths on bikes, then they should contact police."
Anyone who witnessed the incident, or who knows any members of the gang responsible for the attack, are urged to get in touch with PC Ian Coverdale at Hartlepool Police on (01642) 30212
http://www.hartlepoolmail.co.uk/news/local/man-60-beaten-up-by-gang-1-4955159 (http://www.hartlepoolmail.co.uk/news/local/man-60-beaten-up-by-gang-1-4955159)
Certainly appalling...20 youths behaving like a pack of feral creatures. I do sometimes wonder how much aggression is fuelled by over exposure to violent computer 'games'. Yes, the difference between fantasy and reality should remain obvious, but I do wonder whether the more impressionable may be desensitised by sustained exposure to vicious and gruesome virtual 'experiences'.
Bring back the Birch... i don`t say this lightly, but the feral youths that exist in every town & village in the UK have become more & more flagrant in the use of mindless violence on innocent people.
The report out today that proves the use of electronic tags are a waste of time is another reminder of just how ineffective the criminal justice system is in trying to improve todays society.
It would be a different story if the powers that be were being assaulted, robbed & even murdered on a regular basis, they are removed from most of the problems that afflict the majority of people in this country & therefore see no reason to upset the applecart by doing something about it.
The police have been devalued in the real sense of the word, as we have seen with such tragic circumstances in the last week or so, when a senior member of the government can abuse a police officer & get away with it what chance have they got.
With a little bit of luck the sh**bags that did this will get the living daylights knocked out of them at some point in their miserable lives.
I would have just drove at the little bast*rds, they're full of drink and the girls are the worst.
Quote from: testicles on September 24, 2012, 04: PM
I would have just drove at the little bast*rds, they're full of drink and the girls are the worst.
didnt a bloke from davison drive try that and ended up either being forced from his home or with a police record if i remember right. probs 3 or 4 years ago
He did, he's a nice lad too, just fed up of his car being vandalised.
I recognise a sensationalist 'Lets start a heated debate' article when I see one.
The Mail is desperate to generate 'content' on it's site and this story is just the way to do it.
Not to lessen the attack but it clearly states only 2 youths were involved so the use of the number '20' is nothing more than a red-rag to the 'hang em and flog em' brigade.
Let us see if the renta-gob usual suspects twist that into what they want to see rather than wot I writ.
I think you're off the mark there, mk1. There may have been only 2 involved directly but that makes 18 witnesses who stood by and did f*c* all.
I don't fall into the 'bring back the birch' camp, but surely to God something is not working here when violence against another person, indifference to witnessing it or just hoying stones at someone's car just isn't a big deal anymore.
The majority of people 'stand around' and do nothing. Very few would get involved in a fracas and this is the normal reaction. Alpha male and all that.
There are enough stories around about solid upstanding citizens ignoring rapes and even murders so a group of '20' (always a round figure isn't it. I rarely read of someone attacked by a gang of say 17) standing around watching the 'fun' is the normal reaction.
I am not defending anyone just pointing out this has 'sensationalism' writ all over it.
The story is pitched to generate heat.
It seems to be working.
I distinctly remember a TV interview with 2 hells angels who had been birched whilst on the Isle Of Man, both were of the opinion that they wouldn`t be going back for anymore of it.
I have been in an extremly threatening position when going to the aid of 2 teenaged girls who were lying on the floor in Retford town square being kicked from pillar to post..... the other 10 or 12 boys & girls in the group took acception to my intervention & promptly started kicking the s**t out me.
I was fortunate in that 4 adult males came out of a nearby pub & chased off the toe rags.
For those that believe in turning the other cheek..... see if you still think like that when you have had a good kicking.
If mk1 wants to call it a sensationalist report thats up to him, but you only need to walk around certain areas in any town or city & you immediatley feel threatened by groups of youths of both sexes.
As steveL mentions, something isn`t working in our society & there is no apparent remedy to the problem.
Quote from: fred c on September 24, 2012, 07: PM
I distinctly remember a TV interview with 2 hells angels who had been birched whilst on the Isle Of Man, both were of the opinion that they wouldn`t be going back for anymore of it.
And of course once use of the birch was known all crime stopped on the Island................
I don't know the stats but the real point is that we have two extremes: the birch is one extreme but what we have over here is also an extreme where these people are convinced they can do this sort of thing with impunity - and by and large - they're right!
"I have been in an extremly threatening position when, going to the aid of 2 teenaged girls who were lying on the floor in Retford town square being kicked from pillar to post..... the other 10 or 12 boys & girls in the group took acception to my intervention & promptly started kicking the s**t out me."
Whats your reply to this conveniently forgotten part of the post.
Is it ok for a group of people to assault others, or smash or steal other peoples belongings with no consequences for them ?
What would be your solution to behaviour of this kind mk1 ?
All I said the reporting was sensationalist.
If you inflate an attack by 2 lads into an attack by a mob of 20 then that is sensationalism.
The same edition of the Mail had a small court roundup report about a very well know local violent man engaged in a bitter dispute with his ex partner who was caught with a lock knife in the street.
I would suggest that is a far more serious matter than the attack by the 2 lads.
as I said, two carried out the attack - while 18 others watched. You either find that acceptable or you don't. I don't regard the 18 as being entirely innocent. As for whether your example is more serious or not - both are serious are they not? So are we now splitting hairs?
Quote from: steveL on September 25, 2012, 12: PM
as I said, two carried out the attack - while 18 others watched. You either find that acceptable or you don't.
Standing around watching is the default action of the vast majority of people. Normal decent citizens do it all the time.
Quote from: steveL on September 25, 2012, 12: PM
As for whether your example is more serious or not - both are serious are they not? So are we now splitting hairs?
My villain has an extensive history of violent crime. I know for a fact he has been convicted 3 times for assaulting women other than his partner. One of his convictions is for smashing his way into a pregnant woman's house and beating her with an iron bar so no. I think one is potentialy much more serious than the other. The fault lies with the Mail who no longer bother to send reporters to the courts. They much prefer lurid headlines and scaring people to reporting serious crime.
I am surprised we have got to 15 replies before anybody has mentioned "parental responsibility"...In an ideal world all present (quoted as 20) would have two parents at home. Therefore potentially 40 adults should be asking their offspring to account for their movements at approx.8.50p.m. on the night. Any parent should know if their child is lying by the time they reach their teens. I accept that yobs travel to different areas and get themselves involved in trouble miles from home which illustrates a lack of control,however it should not be that easy for parents to be let off the hook and avoid responsibility. As a father of two (and a shift worker) my wife kept a grip in my absense . Times have changed since then but the "system" worked.
mk1, your example is an extremely serious case for the woman involved..... but no more worrying to her than it was to the 60 odd year old chap being threatened by a gang of youths.
We can trot out all the cliches under the sun about lack of parental control, single parents, dropped on their heads when babies etc etc etc, but when & where does violent behaviour commence & what measures can be introduced to curtail it.
I ask you again, what would your answer be ????
Quote from: fred c on September 25, 2012, 01: PM
I ask you again, what would your answer be ????
Well at one time I would have moaned about gangs of youths roaming the streets unchecked and tried to sort it out myself. Actualy did it as well. Full blown fights and all that. However was persuaded by my daughter (worried about her dad ending up dead) to have a word with the local CSO's (what can they do? laugh at the law, parents don't care etc.) and do you know what-once the parents were informed they curbed the troublemakers!
Make what you will of that!
Will the other 18 be giving police statements, i don't think so, just birch the f*c**ng lot of them, little motherfu*kers.
To reiterate:
According to the Mail (a bit like the Sun this), the police spokesman said:
A spokeswoman for Cleveland Police said: "Police are appealing for witnesses in relation to an assault in Wiltshire Way, Hartlepool, last night.
"A 60-year-old man was assaulted by 15 to 20 youths in an unprovoked attack on Wiltshire Way close to Springwell School.
Was he or wasn`t he?
I wondered if it was an offence not to give evidence to the police on such a matter but this makes it a little clearer:
quote "No law says you have to report a crime to the police or give evidence. But remember, by coming forward you could bring a criminal to justice. You could also stop the same thing happening to others."
http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/CrimeJusticeAndTheLaw/VictimsOfCrime/DG_181647
Testy - you really need to get that Tourettes seen to.....
Think you've hit the nail on the head there, mk1, but what a shame some parents need a knock on their door before they have any idea what their kids have been up to.
I think there's also a problem with younger kids. I must have been in my thirties before I learnt what the 'age of criminal responsibility' was (10 BTW). There's a lot of 9 year olds out there who can tell you precisely what it is these days and who believe it's a license to do what the hell they like. Again, it's a gap in the law.
My own view is that up until the age of 10, the responsibility must lie with parents and there should be some route to fine parents for the actions of their pre-ten year old kids. Leave a vacuum and something is bound to happen to fill it.
Good point...it does seem a bit odd that people are held accountable for the actions of their dogs but not those of their children...