‘A child is going to lose their life’: Sickening trend of children filming attacks on other kids
A dangerous craze where children are filmed being attacked by other kids at school could lead to a child being killed.
That’s the warning from the half-brother of a 13-year-old girl who was dragged to the ground by her hair and kicked in the head by other youngsters.
The victim was just leaving for home after school when she was attacked only metres from the gates.
A video online shared by children in Rochdale before Easter shows the assault.
What looks like around two dozen other children are gathered around baying and jeering. An adult witness told Sky News there were around 40 kids present at the attack which experts say is becoming a “sickening” and “growing” trend in Britain’s schools.
The motive for the attack was quite possibly the videos themselves – a moment of notoriety on social media, creating content to be shared and laughed about in private groups on Snapchat.
A fair number of the children present had their phones out filming. Many seemed to know the ambush was coming. At least one of those filming also joined in on the assault, kicking the victim while she was on the ground.
Even the victim had found out via social media that there was an attack planned.
It’s part of what the National Bullying Helpline told Sky News was an “escalating problem of children filming violence against other children then uploading to social media”.
Courageously, the 13-year-old girl who was pounced on just before the Easter holidays wanted to speak out about it – but we’ve agreed not to name her or show her face, even though she accepts everyone in her school knows what happened.
Sky’s Jason Farrell spoke to the 13-year-old victim
She described how she felt afterwards. “I had a black eye. My head hurt every time I spoke. I couldn’t laugh because my head hurt. I couldn’t move my neck. My back was sore. I have a scar on my knee that they cut open.
“I don’t really like walking around now where I know people from the school are going to be, because pretty much everyone in my school knows about it. And I’m kind of glad that I don’t have a phone because I feel like I’d just be getting messaged about it all the time.”
She no longer has a phone because her attackers stamped on it.
The girl’s half-brother, Billy, 44, says it is becoming a dangerous craze
Attacks ‘getting more vicious’
Billy, 44, the half-brother, and legal guardian of the victim says this is becoming a dangerous craze.
He told Sky News: “They pick on someone who’s normally quiet, somebody who doesn’t bother anybody, they’ll then use that person as a target to create this online content. And it’s getting more vicious as each attack comes.
“I don’t believe my sister has any long-running rivalries within the school. I believe this was created solely for the content of the internet.”
He added: “A child is going to lose their life from this craze. It’s happening all over the country.”
Christine Pratt, the founder of the National Bullying Helpline, said: “Increased calls to the National Bullying Helpline flag up this increasingly popular, but sickening, trend.
“This particular behaviour [filming abuse to upload to social media] is seen as ‘sport’ and amusement, often led by gangs and school bullies who seek power and attention. It is classic bullying.
“When it is posted ‘online’ the abuse takes a new form. The victim is further ridiculed. Once on social media, it is ‘out there’.
“We hear about this practice occurring most weeks. It is usually the parent who calls us. They often struggle to persuade a school to believe them and/or take it seriously, investigate or deal with the perpetrators.”
One head of school in a well-known private school in London recently sought advice from the helpline, after a filmed attack happened in the boy’s toilet and was observed by over 20 students.
Not one of the onlookers felt safe enough to report it at the time and it only came to light a month later. The headteacher introduced initiatives to unite the pupils and encourage ‘bystanders’ to feel comfortable enough to report future incidents.
For safeguarding reasons, we have decided not to name the school in Rochdale, near where the Easter attack happened, but parents have told Sky News there have been several similar incidents just at or near this one school.
One woman who walks past every day to collect her children from a nearby primary school said she had intervened in four similar attacks.
Another mother, who wishes to remain anonymous, shared with Sky News a video of her daughter being attacked in January by a group of girls on the school premises.
Prior to the attack, a phone camera is switched on and propped up, pointing in the direction of the teenager who is about to be punched. The girls can be heard plotting. “Can you see her?” “Are we doing it or not? Are we doing it outside or in here?” “Go on then, go on then.”
After a brief verbal assault from one girl, another punches her then pulls her to the ground by her hair.
Another mother at the same school, who didn’t want to be identified, told us last term her son was randomly attacked by more than a dozen children on the playing fields – and she feels the school is failing in its duty of care.
She said: “From them kids coming into them gates at 8.20, they’re there to safeguard our children and they’ve failed to do that.”
The headteacher of the school we’ve decided not to name told us: “These stories will, of course, concern families who are part of our school community. Mutual respect, positive behaviour, and high standards are central to everything we do.
“In cases where members of our school community fall short of the expectations of leadership, staff, pupils and their families, nationally guided procedures are followed.”
‘We take extremely seriously our duty of care’
The headteacher added: “The incidents referenced by Sky News are both subject to ongoing enquiries either by the school or a third party. As a result, we won’t be providing further comment on those at this time.
“We take extremely seriously our duty of care to our young people and our local community. As such, staff have a high visibility presence within the school grounds and the immediate vicinity of – before, during and after school.
“We have processes in place to ensure a robust response to disclosures made regarding the safety of students and our post-incident procedure includes the administration of first aid by trained members of staff.”
Greater Manchester Police (GMP) said: “We would encourage anyone who is subject to offences on social media that encourages violence against another human being, to have the confidence to report them immediately to GMP via 101 or 999 in an emergency.
“Greater Manchester Police is committed to investigating each and every complaint received of this nature and bringing the perpetrators to justice, because those who are inciting violence through the use of social media, are committing crimes.”
Sky News understands the attack on the 13-year-old is now being investigated by the police. But the National Bullying Helpline says schools and authorities are failing to keep pace with this growing UK-wide problem.
The 19-year-old woman who died after she was attacked by a dog at a flat in Bristol on Wednesday has been named as Morgan Dorsett from Shropshire.
Two people – a man and a woman both aged in their 20s – have been arrested over the attack and have been released on conditional bail.
Initial reports suggested the dog may be an XL bully, but confirming the breed will form part of the police assessment process, according to Avon and Somerset Police.
It was sedated and seized by officers.
An XL bully. File pic: PA
Ms Dorsett’s family thanked the public for their support and those who have left flowers near the scene.
Officers were called to an incident in the Hartcliffe area of Bristol at 7.19pm on Wednesday.
Paramedics and police officers attended but Ms Dorsett died at the scene.
Ms Dorsett. Pic: Avon and Somerset Police
On Thursday, Inspector Terry Murphy said: “Our thoughts, first and foremost, are with the family of the young woman who’s tragically died as a result of yesterday evening’s incident. They have been updated and will be supported by a family liaison officer.
“I’d also like to thank the officers and paramedics who attended yesterday evening and tried to save her life. Support is in place for them.
“A full investigation is now well under way to establish the full circumstances of the events that led to her death.”
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Flowers left near the scene. Pic: PA
A neighbour also paid tribute to Ms Dorsett, saying she “seemed a lovely girl” and had only lived in the property for a few weeks.
“I was up all night awake trying to process this,” the neighbour, who did not want to be named, said.
“I am shocked. I just can’t believe it’s happened and she hasn’t been there that long.”
The neighbour said she had seen the dog on a lead with its owner and was certain it was an XL bully.
“I do feel so sad for the dog owner,” she said.
“She did mention the dog wasn’t great with men, fine with women and children.
“I feel for her so, so much. It wasn’t her fault.”
She added: “I genuinely feel that this was one of those freak accidents and wasn’t her fault – that’s how I feel.”
In February 2024 it became a criminal offence to own the XL bully breed in England and Wales without an exemption certificate.
Anyone owning one of the dogs must have had the animal neutered, microchipped, and kept muzzled and on a lead in public, among other restrictions.
The government move to ban the breed followed a series of attacks on people and other dogs.
UK
Bargain Hunt auctioneer Charles Hanson cleared of coercive control and assault allegations related to his wife
Bargain Hunt auctioneer Charles Hanson has been cleared of coercive control and assault allegations relating to his wife.
The 46-year-old was accused of being violent towards Rebecca Hanson over an eight-year period.
The charges were brought after he was arrested in June 2023.
The TV auctioneer, from Mackworth, Derby, denied controlling or coercive behaviour spanning from 2015 to 2023, assault occasioning actual bodily harm, and assault by beating. The two assault charges related to incidents in 2015 and 2023.
During the trial, Hanson claimed his wife had controlled him. He told the court he was “almost a slave” to her, saying she left him “a beaten and broken man” by controlling him and making him subservient towards her.
She had claimed her husband was violent towards her and put her in a headlock in 2012, while she pregnant with a baby she later lost.
Mrs Hanson also alleged her husband repeatedly “grabbed” her, scratched her as she tried to snatch a mobile phone and pushed her twice during a row.
Hanson outside the court with his parents today. Pic: PA
The auctioneer told the court his wife was allowed “to do what she wanted” but had experienced “moments and episodes” including one which saw her claim his legs being crossed amounted to abuse.
Jurors deliberated for around four and a half hours before delivering not guilty verdicts on all charges.
As the verdicts were returned, Hanson smiled at his parents, who were sat in the front row of the public gallery at Derby Crown Court, and gave them a thumbs-up.
After thanking the jurors for their care in considering the case, Judge Martin Hurst told Hanson: “You have been found not guilty. That is the end of the case. You will hear no more about it and you are free to go.”
The TV star’s parents wept and hugged their son after he was discharged from the dock.
Hanson ‘relieved this is all over’
Hanson speaks to media after the verdict. Pic: PA
Speaking to reporters outside the court, Hanson said: “I’m delighted that after a year and a half the truth has finally come out.
“I can finally live my life again. I feel this burden has finally been lifted.”
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“It has been a tormentuous time and all I want now is to readjust to what has been such an ordeal,” he continued. “I am so relieved that this is all over.”
As well as regularly featuring on Bargain Hunt, Hanson has appeared on Flog It! and Antiques Road Trip.
A self-described “monster” who beat a top chef to death near Notting Hill Carnival has been jailed for life.
Omar Wilson repeatedly punched and kicked Mussie Imnetu during an altercation outside a restaurant in Queensway, west London, on 26 August last year.
Wilson, 31, then left the scene to go clubbing.
Mr Imnetu, 41, who worked under star chefs Gordon Ramsay and Marcus Wareing, died in hospital four days later, without regaining consciousness.
Mussie Imnetu. Pic: Metropolitan Police
Sentencing Wilson to a minimum 18 years, Judge Philip Katz said Mr Imnetu’s “brutal” killing was “abhorrent”.
“Mussie and those who loved him are the victims in this case and the impact on them of his murder has been severe,” he said.
“Mussie was defenceless on the ground when you punched and kicked him to death.”
He continued: “You could not control your temper. Only a few seconds after punches were aimed by both of you you tripped Mussie and he fell to the ground and you could have walked away.
“As he knelt you rained further punches down on his head. You could have walked away.
“However, you stood up, raised your leg and kicked him hard to the head. Kicking someone to the head when they are defenceless on the ground is abhorrent.”
CCTV footage of Omar Wilson at a security point after the assault. Pic: Metropolitan Police
Mr Imnetu’s wife, Linda, described her husband as “respected, admired and loved” in a pre-recorded victim impact statement played in court.
“Mussie didn’t just leave behind a legacy for his family, he left an indelible mark on his workplace and community,” she said.
“Nothing can undo what has been taken from us. I ask the court to remember the man Mussie was: his character, his integrity and the life he built; not just the circumstances of his passing.”
An audio recording of Mr Imnetu’s six-year-old son wishing his “daddy” goodbye was also played in court, which the judge called “heart-rending”.
Keep up with all the latest news from the UK and around the world by following Sky News
CCTV footage was played in court during the trial showing Wilson approaching Mr Imnetu and headbutting him.
Around a minute later, Wilson punched Mr Imnetu five times in the head, continued to repeatedly punch him while he was on his hands and knees, and then kicked him in the head.
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Wilson of Napier Road, east London, told the Old Bailey he was acting in self defence, telling jurors: “I just regret that somebody’s life was taken while I was trying to defend mine.”
He claimed Mr Imnetu had a broken bottle – something Judge Katz described as “a deliberate lie”.
The court heard after the attack that Wilson had told an associate he “crossed the line”.
In a message, he said: “There’s a monster in me, man, and it’s just like sometimes it comes out.
“And I think I’ve messed up now, I’ve messed up, everything’s finished.”
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