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Carnival terror for girls
Date published: 11 August 2010
A TEENAGE girl was assaulted and robbed by a gang of youths in broad daylight as she enjoyed Oldham Carnival.
The victim and her friend — both 15 — were in Alexandra Park on Sunday at 6pm when they were approached by a gang of 15 older teenagers.
One of them asked the girls for a cigarette and became aggressive when she said she didn’t have one.
Gang members began to make sexual suggestions towards the girls and said they would strip them unless they handed over a cigarette.
Abusive
As one girl got her phone out to call for help, the gang threw tree bark into her eyes before one slapped her across the face and ran off with her mobile.
One of the gang stayed behind and said he would get the mobile phone back if the girls performed a sex act on him.
The father of the girl whose phone was stolen has since received anonymous abusive calls about his daughter.
The parent of one of the girls said: “It is absolutely shocking what happened in broad daylight in a park at an event where there were loads of people.
“I think these lads think they’re invincible and are not scared of doing something like this in such a busy place. I think people can be scared sometimes to report these incidents but I felt I had to make a stand and do my bit to get them caught so they can’t do it again.
“They are two sensible girls who have been brought up well and they were just trying to enjoy the carnival. They were not dressed provocatively and didn’t encourage the lads’ behaviour.
“When it happened, the girls couldn’t even ring their parents for help because the phone had gone so they were just wandering round trying to find a phone.
“They eventually got on a bus and came home by which time we were all frantic with worry.
“I am quite a protective person but you can’t keep your children wrapped up in cotton wool all the time and I thought the carnival would be a safe place.”
Gang members are described as Asian males aged 16-20.
The one who stole the phone had a heavy build and was wearing a wet-look jacket and dark jeans.
The one who stayed behind when the others fled was wearing a red checked shirt.
Police have logged the incident as a theft from person and are investigating. Anyone with information can call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800-555 111.
Comments
What a lovely example of communities coming together.
So the Police have merely logged this incident as a theft from person, no wonder these gangs think they are invincible. When is this town going to address the underlying issue of unruly gangs, predominantly asian, terrorising our streets. Stop shirking the real issues, its a disgrace!
I wish I could say I'm surprised by this but I'm not. I used to enjoy Oldham Carnival when I was a child but I'm afraid I wouldn't set foot in Alexandra Park now.
All this 'communities coming together' rubbish is just that, certain parts of this town are not safe anymore and anybody who denies it is kidding themselves. Hope the girls recover from their ordeal, and to phone one of the parents with even more abuse after the attack just proves what absolute scum they are.
its very sad but i wouldnt dare take my children to that park any more as the imtimidation we receive and the sense of fear is to great its like a no go area now.
I have used the park with no problems...but then again, I am not a vulnerable young lady.
The 'Asians' are probably Oldham born and bred, the incident was not racial, but just a case of cowards taking advantage of the easy target.
However, had it been the other way around, 'racial' is just how it would have been labeled...and why can't the police use GPS to trace the location of the phone? Not worth the cost, maybe?
Disgraceful.
To all the comments about the park being a no go area i would like to know exactly where these folks live.? I dont think you can label a place a no go area just because of the actions of a few idiots.I live very close to this park and enjoy all the different activities that take place there.The cowards who attacked these two defencless girls are just that COWARDS.!!! we shouldnt let the actions of a minority spoil our way of life otherwise they have won and no decent people will be left in town.
Communities will never come together with softly softly policing like we see in these kind of incidents. One rule for one....?
I've been to the park, had a nice day out (there was an event on), but not overly keen on visiting at other times.
Can you imagine the police arresting 15 people in glodwick.Me neither.The fear of upsetting a hot headed community means that this will be another softly softly approach and we wont hear any more about it. Linda, the decent people started leaving years ago the remaining ones are thinking about it because its not safe
I agree with Spike, if it was the other way round it would be regarded as racial.
The police need to get away from this, 'it was a white gang or it was an asian gang' comment, the real issue is thats its was an assault, a theft, and the race of the gang that did it is irrelevant,just find the cowards and make the punishment fit the crime.
Would 15 asians get together and do the same to 2 asian girls, not a chance.If 15 caucasian lads did the same thing to 2 asian girls the tom toms would have been been booming and an organised riot would have been in the making. This was a racist incident and the police know this but purposly keep a low profile unlesss someone is really injured.
The gang wasn't Asian it was British Muslim. As for the crime being a theft it was much more than that. It was racist and one of the gang requested an under aged girl to perform a sexual act on him.
Linda my friend took his two young nieces to play in Alexandra Park recently. He was approached and threatend by some youths who claimed that it is a "muslim park". So where do you live Linda?
KPLees, how do you know their religion? You say they are British Muslim, how do you know that? The only accurate description would be "of Asian heritage", "Brown skinned"
Being called Asian is no more accurate than being called "white".
The police logged this as "theft from person". Why wasn't it logged as the sexual threats that were obviously made or threats of sexual violence?
Have Your Say
My blood is boiling reading this, what would happen if it was the other way round and 2 asian girls were being attacked, the same old story..
Gang members were described as Asian
By OL9 @ 11/08/2010 12:39:52