l***@hotmail.com
2006-05-19 22:25:21 UTC
A STUDENT who is due to start his GCSEs next week was beaten by a
hooded gang armed with a knuckle-duster in a vicious, pre-meditated
attack.
Alex Walmsley, 16, of Oxford Park, Dewsbury, was left bruised and
bleeding after the gang of Asian youths laid in wait for him on school
playing fields.
Alex, a pupil at Westborough High School, had been performing in a
school production and the gang, some of them wearing hoodies, jumped
him as he made his way home around 8.30pm on Tuesday.
His mother Marceline told how her son was attacked by five or six
youths as another 15 cheered them on.
Rugby league-playing Alex, a 6ft prop for Dewsbury Moor, managed to
stay on his feet and was saved from a more savage beating by two
mystery white men who came to his rescue.
Mother-of-three Mrs Walmsley described the attack as "nasty" and said:
"It was planned and pre-meditated and Alex was only saved by these two
men.
"He was punched around the face and head with fists and a
knuckle-duster. We took him to hospital and we were there until 2am
because they thought he had a fractured cheekbone."
Mrs Walmsley said the attack was in revenge for a foul by Alex on an
Asian boy during a football match.
"It was towards half-time when Alex fouled a young lad and the lad got
up and punched him and Alex laughed in his face," she said.
"That was a month or six weeks ago and there were rumours going round
that these lads wanted to get Alex.
"Because he has been staying late for rehearsals and revision classes
and I have been picking him up they have not had a chance since then."
However the gang planned their revenge on Tuesday when they knew Alex
was taking part in "East is East", a play set in 1971 about a Pakistani
family trying to integrate into a white community.
Some Asian youths tried to gain entry to the play on the night but were
turned away and police were called.
It was later when Alex was walking home alone that the gang pounced and
Mrs Walmsley said: "We did not know about what had been going on
because Alex had not told us.
"Some of Alex's Asian friends knew what was going to happen and
warned teachers. Alex is a top-grade student and is very placid.
"He is a big lad and can look after himself but he was jumped from
behind. If they had got him on the floor it would have been a lot
worse. And all this over a football match."
Alex, whose eye has swelled up and closed, missed school on Wednesday
but took part in the play in the evening.
"He is not prepared to hide behind the curtains and let them beat him,"
said Mrs Walmsley. "He has Asian friends who are very upset and Alex
doesn't blame Asians as a whole. They are thugs and it doesn't
matter what colour their skin is."
Troubled Westborough currently has head teacher David Roche suspended
and under investigation but Mrs Walmsley said the school's response
had been "fantastic" and staff and governors had been very supportive.
She wanted to publicly thank the school and also trace the two men who
helped Alex so she could thank them personally.
A police spokesman said inquiries were underway but no arrests had been
made. She appealed for anyone with information to ring Dewsbury police
on 01924 431059.
hooded gang armed with a knuckle-duster in a vicious, pre-meditated
attack.
Alex Walmsley, 16, of Oxford Park, Dewsbury, was left bruised and
bleeding after the gang of Asian youths laid in wait for him on school
playing fields.
Alex, a pupil at Westborough High School, had been performing in a
school production and the gang, some of them wearing hoodies, jumped
him as he made his way home around 8.30pm on Tuesday.
His mother Marceline told how her son was attacked by five or six
youths as another 15 cheered them on.
Rugby league-playing Alex, a 6ft prop for Dewsbury Moor, managed to
stay on his feet and was saved from a more savage beating by two
mystery white men who came to his rescue.
Mother-of-three Mrs Walmsley described the attack as "nasty" and said:
"It was planned and pre-meditated and Alex was only saved by these two
men.
"He was punched around the face and head with fists and a
knuckle-duster. We took him to hospital and we were there until 2am
because they thought he had a fractured cheekbone."
Mrs Walmsley said the attack was in revenge for a foul by Alex on an
Asian boy during a football match.
"It was towards half-time when Alex fouled a young lad and the lad got
up and punched him and Alex laughed in his face," she said.
"That was a month or six weeks ago and there were rumours going round
that these lads wanted to get Alex.
"Because he has been staying late for rehearsals and revision classes
and I have been picking him up they have not had a chance since then."
However the gang planned their revenge on Tuesday when they knew Alex
was taking part in "East is East", a play set in 1971 about a Pakistani
family trying to integrate into a white community.
Some Asian youths tried to gain entry to the play on the night but were
turned away and police were called.
It was later when Alex was walking home alone that the gang pounced and
Mrs Walmsley said: "We did not know about what had been going on
because Alex had not told us.
"Some of Alex's Asian friends knew what was going to happen and
warned teachers. Alex is a top-grade student and is very placid.
"He is a big lad and can look after himself but he was jumped from
behind. If they had got him on the floor it would have been a lot
worse. And all this over a football match."
Alex, whose eye has swelled up and closed, missed school on Wednesday
but took part in the play in the evening.
"He is not prepared to hide behind the curtains and let them beat him,"
said Mrs Walmsley. "He has Asian friends who are very upset and Alex
doesn't blame Asians as a whole. They are thugs and it doesn't
matter what colour their skin is."
Troubled Westborough currently has head teacher David Roche suspended
and under investigation but Mrs Walmsley said the school's response
had been "fantastic" and staff and governors had been very supportive.
She wanted to publicly thank the school and also trace the two men who
helped Alex so she could thank them personally.
A police spokesman said inquiries were underway but no arrests had been
made. She appealed for anyone with information to ring Dewsbury police
on 01924 431059.