A YOUNG father may never get to see his child after a violent gang attack left him in a coma.

Michael Ogbuhei, 20, missed the birth of his daughter after he was beaten on a train travelling between Southend and Benfleet.

A group of up to 15 youths punched and kicked him on a busy c2c train in front of his heavily-pregnant girlfriend.

A torrent of punches and kicks caused Mr Ogbuhei to miss his stop for his home in Chalkwell, and he got off at Benfleet. He then started to suffer from a severe headache before slipping into a life-threatening coma.

His girlfriend Molly, 16, is now facing the prospect of bringing up their newborn daughter alone.

She said: “I want these people to be brought to justice.

“Because of these evil people, my child won’t ever know her father.

“I had to witness my partner being assaulted in this terrible way, and that image will never leave me. I am devastated by this and will not forget what they have done to me and my little girl.”

Yesterday British Transport Police raided eight houses in Tottenham, North London, and arrested eight people in connection with the attack.

The men all remain in police custody and are being questioned about the events between 9.40pm and 10pm on Friday, May 29.

Det Supt Ashley Croft, who is leading the investigation, said: “These arrests have been made in relation to a violent assault which left a young man, now the father of a newborn girl, with life-threatening head injuries.

“We are doing all we can to support Michael’s loved ones during what is an agonising time for them.”

Detectives particularly want to speak to two Jamaican women who took care of Molly during the attack and ushered her into the next carriage.

They would also like to speak to anyone on the train when the attack broke out shortly after it left Southend.

Some of the thugs are thought to have got off the train at Pitsea, while others travelled on to Barking, and so may have been spotted at these stations.

Det Supt Croft said they were analysing CCTV footage from Essex and London.

He added: “We know the train that left Southend was a crowded service with a large number of people onboard. Any information, however insignificant it may seem, could be vital in bringing those responsible to justice.”

Anyone with information is asked to call British Transport Police on 0800 405040 or Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555111.