A teenager who was violently mugged at knifepoint has slammed a train firm for having faulty CCTV that could have been used as vital evidence.

The victim, who asked not to be named, was in a c2c train carriage when he listened to his attacker tell friends that he was going to rob him, before taking his expensive designer items.

He said he felt a blade in the back of his leg as the man tried to get him in a headlock.

Now the victim, who was 19 at the time, has been told CCTV was not working due to a fault.

Police have confirmed there is no footage of the attack.

The victim said: “No-one was on the train, it had emptied out.

“He was on Facetime to his mates and he said his “shank kept falling down” meaning his knife. He was sat opposite me and said to his friends “look at him” and listed what I had on.

“He said “I’ll stab him round the chest and take his stuff”.

“He didn’t know I could hear him.

“I wanted to get off the train to get away from it all and that’s when he bear hugged me from behind asking for my stuff.

“He pulled me onto the seat and tried to get me into a headlock and I felt the blade of the knife in the back of my leg.

“I was shook up.”

The incident took place on Christmas Eve between Laindon and Basildon station, where he was robbed of his watch and Canada Goose coat.

The victim added: “He is walking free and the next person might not be so lucky.”

An email sent by a detective constable at British Transport Police to the victim which has been seen by the Echo said: “They have stated that the fault was more serious than ‘no remote connection’ and as a result there was no footage for this date on the train.”

A spokesperson for British Transport Police said: “No arrests have been made to date and enquiries are ongoing.”

A c2c spokesman said: “While we cannot comment on an ongoing police investigation, we have provided all available CCTV footage in relation to this incident.”