Croydon mob 'behaved worse than animals' claims bitten PC » Communities » 24dash.com

Schoolchildren who attacked a policeman after he asked one of them to pick up some litter behaved worse than animals, the officer said today.

Two officers were set on by a mob, some wearing school uniform, after they asked a teenage girl to pick up a fast-food wrapper she had dropped.

She picked it up but then pointedly threw it on the ground again as a large crowd gathered around her and the two policemen.

A 15-year-old girl then jumped on the 34-year-old officer and repeatedly bit him on the shoulder and torso.

A colleague who raced to his aid was pulled to the ground and kicked by others as several older men and women joined the fracas in a shopping precinct in Croydon, south London.

At one point more than 30 people were involved in the fight in North End, a popular after-school hangout for young people.

The police constable, who was recovering from his bite injuries at home today, said the incident quickly escalated out of control.

He said: "They swarmed at the start. They feel they can overcome you like a gang. It was a good 30-plus youths.

"It is the behaviour. It is unbelievable. I find it amazing that someone could bite another human being like that.

"They were acting like animals, but I hate using the term 'animals' because they would not do that. Animals have a reason for doing something.

"This is just nonsense violence. It is difficult to think that they could do something like this - and to a policeman."

Detectives were studying CCTV footage of the attack today in a bid to identify all of those involved.

A 15-year-old girl was arrested at the scene on suspicion of assault. She has since been released on bail.

The officer said that when the girl's parents arrived at the police station they complained that the start of her summer holiday had been disrupted.

Today, detectives appealed for witnesses to the attack which happened on Wednesday at about 3pm.

The officers were on patrol in the busy pedestrianised area, close to branches of Woolworths and Burger King.

Officers believe five young women were involved at the start of the incident. They were joined by a number of men in their 30s and 40s.

Investigators believe a number of older women also joined in. All of those involved were black.

The 29-year-old police constable suffered bruising and knee injuries and is on sick leave.

Two men, aged 34 and 38, were arrested today in South Norwood on suspicion of assault and violent disorder.

Speaking about the attack, the bitten officer added: "They did not want her to get arrested, so they were trying to prevent us detaining her.

"She was never going to get arrested for dropping litter, but it is a fact there is no respect.

"I seriously think the parents of this child should be fined. We have to put out some sort of message and the only way is to get parents to take responsibility for their children."

Speaking on the BBC London Radio earlier today, the officer said he feared for his life and called for urgent assistance as the violence broke out.

He said: "She just threw litter on on the floor and we asked if she could pick that up. As we walked away, she threw it at us.

"Then we went back to talk to her. You don't arrest these people for such a minor offence, it is a complete waste of time.

"It is just amazing and it depresses you the state of children today, the disrespect, not only for people who might not be in the police but anyone who is older.

"They think 'I want respect, I want respect'. They keep going on about it. Telling people 'I am going to F you up' is a favourite saying. It is dreadful."

Inspector Simon Ellingham said: "We have heard from several retailers in the area who were horrified at the level of violence used by the crowd against the officers.

"Whilst we would never use the word 'mob', which is an inflammatory word, we can confirm that eyewitnesses have described their initial fear that officers were going to be seriously injured or killed.

"If you were in North End, central Croydon, around 3pm on Wednesday July 16 and saw anything of the incident, or have any information, please get in touch."

Anyone with information should ring 0208 649 0119 or Crimestoppers, for free and in confidence, on 0800 555 111.

Today police were active in North End, a busy shopping street which runs from near West Croydon Station into the town centre.

Three officers were seen to stop and search a young man not far from the scene of Wednesday's trouble.

Local shop workers were reluctant to talk about the incident, but one 27-year-old, who declined to give his name, said: "I noticed that there were a group of girls sitting on the benches over there.

"Two police officers approached one of them, I don't know what it was over, but I think they were trying to arrest her.

"The other girls were trying to stop her being arrested, and then about half of Croydon turned up to see what was going on.

"There were at least 100 people out there, which made it difficult to see what was going on. At one point I could see the girl was handcuffed and on the floor.

"I think only about four or five girls were involved in the incident, trying to stop the arrest.

"It was quite a bad incident, but I'm not surprised, because it's Croydon."

Onlooker Neil Sullivan, 34, saw the aftermath of the incident from a window.

"There were a mixture of seven or eight police cars and vans, plus officers on foot.

"There were so many people congregated that you couldn't see what the focus of it all was.

"From about three in the afternoon you see large gangs of 30 or 40 kids on North End, and it is daunting for local shopkeepers and shoppers."

A shop worker who gave her name only as Gemma, 24, said: "I didn't see the incident but I think this kind of behaviour is happening with kids everywhere.

"These teenagers just don't seem to respect any authority."