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James victim of gang attack
Reporter: Marina Berry
Date online: 17/02/2010
A TEENAGER needed hospital treatment after he and two friends were attacked by a gang of around 20 Asian youths.
James Howard (14) had his head stamped on and suffered a broken nose, two black eyes, and cuts to his head, arms and hands, in the attack shortly after 7pm on Sunday. His two friends, aged 14 and 23, were also taken to hospital, where they were treated for facial cuts and abrasions.
The injured teenager’s mother, Angela, said: “James was battered senseless. They stamped on his head and he is an absolute mess.
“He looks like he’s gone ten rounds with Mike Tyson and he’s absolutely devastated. It’s frightened him to death and I don’t think he’ll ever go out again.”
The incident happened in Victoria Street, Chadderton, as James rode his bike home from a local newsagents, flanked by his two friends on foot.
Mrs Howard (34), said the attackers made racist comments and left footprints on her son’s head and back, and stole his bike, his mobile telephone and his shoes.
She said: “They could have killed my son. If I thought my child was capable of doing something like this I would take them to the police myself.”
The family have lived in Chadderton for 16 years, and Mrs Howard and her husband, Joe, also have two other children, aged eight and 12.
A shopkeeper took the boys in, and James called his father, who took the three straight to the Royal Oldham Hospital.
Doctors wanted to keep James in overnight, but the shocked youngster wanted to go home to be with his family.
She said: “He was just in the wrong place at the wrong time. The people who attacked him are not children and something needs to be done before something goes drastically wrong in Oldham.”
The youths were all aged around 20.
Police said they confronted then chased James and his friends, and a fight broke out when they caught up.
They said one of the offenders was heard to make a racist remark.
Comments
So mister political correct plastic police was it a racist attack? Or can’t we use that phrase on this occasion? Or did they go into a no-go area (the ones that don't exist in oldham)
Mmmm. Victoria Street Chadderton, didn't we use to have a town centre police station here? Still, it moved to a new location near the M60, so it could more effectively pursue the motorist's to generate income from fines needed by Golden Gordon to prop up his failing administration. If the people of Oldham continue to vote Red, Blue or Orange nothing will ever change. It is time to give them a kick up the backside by voting for a different party at the next election
Oldham needs to wake up to the fact its becoming more and more a two part town, action is needed but god knows what can be done as it will either be branded liberal tripe or right wing extremism...
This kind of thing happens far to often and largely goes unreported. Of course the useless brigade will not have logged it as a racist attack - they don;t when it's a white that's been attacked. This is a product of Labours policies, I wonder if Useless Phil would like to comment? I doubt it because last time he saw this kind of thing he & his mate ran away (literally), he wouldn't even stop to help.
Why hasn't this been reported as a race crime? If roles were reversed I wonder fi it would be reported differently? Has it been recorded as a race crime?
l used to live in the area and that includes vitoria st until a few years ago.The witing was on the wall then with aian youths going round in gangs beliving they are untouchable by the police.Glad we could get out and I do feel the lad who got assulted ad his family,hope the pc police "service" will now start to do something although I doubt it.
RACIST ATTACK, pure and simple. Will the Police treat it as such? Will the powers that be ackowledge that there is a definite racist problem in this town that they need to address? The answer I'm afraid is a resounding no. Chronicle, get your heads out of the sand as well, it wasn't a gang attack, it was a racist attack. Report it as it was.
as others have asked, has this been reported as a race crime?? if this was whites attacking asians the headline in the chron would have been "RACIST THUGS ATTACK ASIAN TEENAGER"
hmmmmmmmm funny how when its the other way round, things are treated and reported differently!!
This should have been reported as a race attack not a gang attack. It would have been if an asian boy had been attacked by 20 white youths, the police would have been calling for calm and all hell would have been let loose. At least it has been reported my friends son was attacked in Rochdale by a gang of asians and it didnt make the papers for months he nearly lost his foot.
This won't be logged as a RACIST attack it will probably be logged as another jealous attack like the one on Chamber Rd because james had a nice phone, bike and trainers.
Obviously this is a RACIST ATTACK, but we all know that the oldham dibble wont admit to that, these gutless attackers not only beat james up, but then they stole his mobile phone/bike/and shoes.
Was the motive for attacking james "JEALOUSY"? as jealousy was the motive for the attack on the hulme grammar school pupil a couple of weeks ago according to the dibble.
I wonder when the oldham dibble will admit that racist attacks against white people in oldham do happen?
Police arn't what you would call reliable either, their all in each others pockets. they won't make any arrest for fear of themselves being called racists.
Another episode of sensless and vicious thuggery in our town! When will 'the authorities' act positively? I wonder what fightback will say about this outrage?
Any comments to post on this article FIGHTBACK !!!!!!!!!!!!
Young Asian men attacking 14 year old lads at a 5 to 1 ratio, absolutely pathetic and disgusting behaviour. Roll on May and I know where a few more votes are heading to.
This is disgusting. I couldn't agree more with the comments already made - it's a racist attack menat to provoke. These attackers are untouchable and know it - these type of attackers know they can conduct themselves in this manner and get away with it. If the roles were reversed then there would be another Oldham riot bringing yet more bad publicity to our borough. Oldham is finished. The council and the Police are unwilling to help while the town goes down the toilet. Kitchens take priority.
No comment from the Police such as "we will do everything within our power to bring the attackers to justice" or "Oldham will not tolerate race hate crime", etc? We usually hear this when a race hate crime has taken place? Maybe the reporter has missed these comments from the Police?
When are the police and council in Oldham going to realise that unfortunatly there is racism in Oldham but not always directed at asian people. This sort of attack is happening regularly and doesnt seem to have the same impact as when an asian teen is attacked
In answer to some of the posters above, I'm white and I've been the victim of a recorded racist attack.
If any of the victim, a witness or the Police themselves perceive it to be racially motivated then it by law is recorded as a racist incident. If it is not being reported as such in the Chron then that is because none of those are claiming it is such.
And finally, voting BNP or whatever is not the answer.
This is nothing new and has been happening for years. Yes there are NO GO AREAS, Yex there is a MASSIVE problem, not just in OLDHAM! nationwide. The only problem is, the people who can make a difference dont live with it, or have to put up with it so they put on the PC cap... because that is what gets you elected or gets you a well paid job! Deep down everyone knows what is happening but people chose to ignore it.
Would also like to know why this story was 3 pages into the paper and not on the front cover?? Funny that
This is one reason why I have told my children to get their education and then get out of this town, even better the country.
This reminded me of a similar incident that happened in the same area many years ago to a young lad who was a friend of my son.He was walking along the street with his girlfriend when a gang of Asian yobs decided to attack him for no reason.One of them had a knife and plunged it downwards into the back of his neck. It was only good luck that he wasnt killed and he might have been if it wasnt for a brave passerby who shouted at the cowards to leave him alone.They where never caught of course.!!!!
not only is it a racist attack it was robbery and i bet the police will brush it under the carpet.
Do the police know the reactions of the public? Outraged at their timidness to say loudly IT WAS A RACIST ATTACK!
Do the police read these comments?
A question for new Oldham Chief Superintendent Tim Forber - Racist attack or not ?
"adwilliams134" clearly suffers from some kind of reading comprehension problem when, he states in reference to it being a racially moticated incident, "If it is not being reported as such in the Chron then that is because none of those are claiming it is such."
The boy's mother herself states that "the attackers made racist comments" and additionally, the final line of the article clearly states "They said one of the offenders was heard to make a racist remark. "
The proof is in the reading.
If 20 white men had attacked and beaten 3 asian boys you can imagine the headlines with the police rushing to 'reasure the community'. Well how about reasuring the white community and policing both sides evenly instead of constantly hiding behind political correctness.
This was a vile racist attack carried out by ignorant cowards!
For the right whingers with selective memories and comprehension problems( idid...scrapheap et al)- This is the fourth and last time I will say it.
I deplore and condemn all physical violence no matter the race or colour of the perpetrator or the victim.
Pity you can't do the same!!!, but that is to be expected.
Adwilliams, the clue is in the story, or did you choose to ignore that simple fact ?
Is it just me or is anyone else wondering where 'fightback' is?
No comments tonight?
I would have thought the new senior police officer would have had a comment on this by now. Keeping his head down perhaps?
Why wasn't the headline 'RACIST ATTACK' ? Absoulute joke by the police who know this type of thing goes on everyday in this town. Time something was done to deal with the scum.
It's appalling what happens on the streets these days, I'm white and 24 years old and I suffered my first beating last year by white 13 year olds, the police couldn't even be bothered to send out an officer, i reckon this would have been the same situation no matter what the race of the attackers were. THE POLICE FORCE IN OLDHAM IS A JOKE AND THE THUGS KNOW THIS, AGE AND RACE MEAN NOTHING - CRIME IS CRIME AND THEY ALL DESERVE TO BE FIRED OUT OF A CANNON INTO SPACE!
I read,increasingly, these types of reports and many concern attacks in Oldham. The strained relationships show through in the posts that have been made and I have to say that they are not all without good reason. There does seem to be a huge difference (in parts of the UK) to where I now live (Singapore) as people of all nationalities and backgrounds live in harmony and every race and religion respects each other. I am actually the only Caucasian amongst 2000 people at work. No problems!
"This is the fourth and last time I will say it.
I deplore and condemn all physical violence no matter the race or colour of the perpetrator or the victim"
In that case fightback, why didn't you post this comment without the need to be challegned !!
You are quick enough to brandish the race card when, the situation involves people from an asian background.
How can this not be recorded as a racist attack?
Its disgusting that our children are growing up in such a hostile one sided environment,unless we make a stand and report such incidents truthfully and they are dealt with accordingly.
When will 'the powers that be' listen?? when theres deaths? or will that be hidden away too?
Lets crack down on this behaviour now.
Seems like this kind of thing goes on all the time 'low key' , and not just in Oldham , look at Rochdale...
Why does it go on and why isn't anything done about it...
..because scrapheap I dont have to condemn every single attack by one race on another, just like you dont.
I dont live by your rules, those days are long gone!!
Your not a challenge believe me!
Find the other three or is that too much work. I cant find yours on certain reports - Don't need to wonder why!!
Right here right whinger (flake). I work for a living, cant check the Chron every night!
HadEnough, you answered your own question as soon as you said "The boy's mother...".
For it to be classed as a racist attack at least one of the victim, an independent witness, or the Police have to perceive it as such and stae as much.
The boy's mother is none of those three groupings. All she can say is what is legally defined as 'hearsay' and as such does not count.
And Oldham Owl, likewise - it has to be one of the victim, an independent witness, or the Police who perceive it to be a racist crime. Then and only then is it racist.
Have Your Say
"something needs to be done before something goes drastically wrong in Oldham."
I think that day is rapidly approaching and our council will do nothing except break their arms patting themselves on the back over flower pots in town centres and an increase in shop trade because they have cut us off from Manchester .
By MyNamesUnavailable @ 17/02/2010 12:35:39
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