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Assault on train
11:32am Thursday 15th May 2008
A MAN was assaulted on a train by a group of thugs, who repeatedly punched him in the face and head.
The 32-year-old was travelling on a c2c train between Southend Central and Benfleet when he saw three men drinking alcohol, who tried to talk to him.
When he got up to use the onboard toilet they followed him and forced the door open, asking him if he wanted to buy drugs.
He said no and tried to leave the train, before they told him to empty his pockets.
Detective constable Sally Everritt, of the British Transport Police, said the victim handed over his wallet but was still punched several times causing bruising and swelling to his left eye and his head.
She added: "This was an unprovoked attack and understandably left the victim quite shaken."
Police want to speak to anyone who saw the the three men, who were all white and in their 20s, following the attack at 11pm on Saturday.
One left the train at Tilbury and the other two got off at Grays.
The first suspect had shaved or very short hair, a muscular build, and was between 5ft 8ins and 5ft 9ins tall with an Essex accent. He was wearing a tight white short sleeved top and jeans.
The second man had short black hair, was between 6ft 2ins and 6ft 3ins tall, and of slim build. He was wearing jeans or tracksuit bottoms, a T-shirt and a light coloured tracksuit jacket.
The last suspect was six feet tall, with light brown spiked up hair and tanned skin. He was wearing a beige t-shirt and jeans.
DC Everitt said: "We believe that the men may be from the local area and are appealing for anyone with information."
Anyone with information can call BTP on 0800 405040 quoting B4 of 15/05/08 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555111.
Your Say YourEcho
Paul, London says...
12:21pm Thu 15 May 08
Partyboy, Saarfend says...
12:21pm Thu 15 May 08
Partyboy, Saarfend says...
12:22pm Thu 15 May 08
A, Essex says...
12:57pm Thu 15 May 08
seeview, Southend on Sea says...
1:57pm Thu 15 May 08
Andy, London says...
2:20pm Thu 15 May 08
seeview wrote:Free Railway ?
Thats the trouble with a free railway it attracts the wrong sort of passenger and this is how they thank the company for their free ride.
C2c do make a big deal about how their trains and stations are covered by cctv so surely it will be easy to find these drunken twats ?
Spike, c2c Land says...
3:03pm Thu 15 May 08
Thats the trouble with a free railway it attracts the wrong sort of passenger and this is how they thank the company for their free ride.
I assume this is referring to how easy it is to travel for free on c2c.
At one stage most of the crime in Chafford Hundred was attributed to 'Day Trripers' who got the train down from Limehouse and took advantage of c2c's free travel offer, as their was never anybody around to check their (lack of a) ticket.
Horace Wimpole, Little Futtock says...
4:20pm Thu 15 May 08
Trainman, says...
4:50pm Thu 15 May 08
ME, Essex says...
4:53pm Thu 15 May 08
Horace Wimpole wrote:None of the cctv works apart at barking and not all the trains have got cctv. And you think thats bad work for them. When a employee gets assaulted the company does nothing.
Given that the miscreants disembarked at Grays and Tilbury, I don't imagine for a moment that the station CCTV actually works in those godforsaken holes. I expect it has been repeatedly vandalised by the local charmers.
paul tyler, canvey island says...
4:55pm Thu 15 May 08
fsw, leigh says...
5:35pm Thu 15 May 08
Is this story anywhere on this echo website???
Hurri, Southend says...
6:22pm Thu 15 May 08
fsw, leigh says...
6:54pm Thu 15 May 08
fsw, leigh says...
7:02pm Thu 15 May 08
S, Benfleet says...
9:26pm Thu 15 May 08
Especially when you get people that can hurt innocent people seriously and then get away with it! Its ridiculous!
I hope the victims for this incidents are recovering well and RIP to the dog x
Mark, Southend says...
11:14pm Thu 15 May 08
Horace Wimpole, Little Futtock says...
8:20am Fri 16 May 08
hope the victims for this incidents are recovering well and RIP to the dog xRIP? The dog died? How do you extrapolate that from the comments above? I rather think that if true, that would definitely have been reported by the Echo.
Perhaps after a few more incidents like this, people will seriously start to question British society's position that CCTV is somehow the answer to crime.
Sadly, Mark from Southend makes a fair point: if there's no police presence in our towns and on our transport systems, then people will take the law into their own hands. It's a totally understandable reaction.
S, Benfleet says...
10:08am Fri 16 May 08
Horace Wimpole wrote:My friend was on the train and saw the whole thing.
hope the victims for this incidents are recovering well and RIP to the dog xRIP? The dog died? How do you extrapolate that from the comments above? I rather think that if true, that would definitely have been reported by the Echo. Perhaps after a few more incidents like this, people will seriously start to question British society's position that CCTV is somehow the answer to crime. Sadly, Mark from Southend makes a fair point: if there's no police presence in our towns and on our transport systems, then people will take the law into their own hands. It's a totally understandable reaction.
Luck Fabour., says...
10:43am Fri 16 May 08
Horace Wimpole wrote:To be fair we should already be questioning the amount of CCTV in this country.
hope the victims for this incidents are recovering well and RIP to the dog xRIP? The dog died? How do you extrapolate that from the comments above? I rather think that if true, that would definitely have been reported by the Echo.
Perhaps after a few more incidents like this, people will seriously start to question British society's position that CCTV is somehow the answer to crime.
Sadly, Mark from Southend makes a fair point: if there's no police presence in our towns and on our transport systems, then people will take the law into their own hands. It's a totally understandable reaction.
It's an invasion of proivacy, beyond a joke and solves absolutely nothing. All it does is move the incident to where there are no cameras, or people mask up to avoid it.
Horace Wimpole, Little Futtock says...
11:45am Fri 16 May 08
My friend was on the train and saw the whole thing.God, that's awful
Local Boy, Hawkwell says...
12:09pm Fri 16 May 08
Andy wrote:There used to be a time when the trains and stations were covered with.... STAFF!!
seeview wrote:Free Railway ?
Thats the trouble with a free railway it attracts the wrong sort of passenger and this is how they thank the company for their free ride.
C2c do make a big deal about how their trains and stations are covered by cctv so surely it will be easy to find these drunken twats ?
And it isn't that long ago!
Greedy, cost cutting, privatised railways are happy to risk their customers safety!
Andy, Southend says...
12:33pm Fri 16 May 08
Local Boy wrote:All too true...Late at night it's very rare to see any staff even at the busiest stations..Still c2c (and others) are happy to for us commuters to hand over thousands of pounds every year for the priviledge. I thought C2C at least had some 'guards/security' staff, where were they on this occasion ?
Andy wrote:There used to be a time when the trains and stations were covered with.... STAFF!! And it isn't that long ago! Greedy, cost cutting, privatised railways are happy to risk their customers safety!seeview wrote: Thats the trouble with a free railway it attracts the wrong sort of passenger and this is how they thank the company for their free ride.Free Railway ? C2c do make a big deal about how their trains and stations are covered by cctv so surely it will be easy to find these drunken twats ?
Also if this poor guy was assaulted between Southend and Benfleet and these yobs didnt get off untill Tilbury/Grays, surely thats ample time to radio ahead and have some police waiting ?
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Steve, Leigh says...
12:13pm Thu 15 May 08