Attackers of Iranian teenager appear in UK court

Five British youths have appeared in a court over a brutal assault that left an Iranian teenager with a broken skull and a blood clot on his brain.

Daryl Davis, 20, Danyelle Davis, 24, Barry Potts, 20, George Walder, 20, and Jack Walder, 24, appeared in Croydon magistrate court on Monday after being charged with violent disorder.

The defendants were accused of ganging up on 17-year-old Reker Ahmed and beating him unconscious near a bus stop in Croydon, south London, on Friday night.

Reker, who is from Kurdish descent, was chased down by the youths after they found out that he was not British. Reker’s two friends escaped with minor injuries.

Up to 30 people were reportedly involved in the incident while over a dozen stood and watched the boy get beaten up. Police was investigating the attack as a possible hate crime.

“The victims were set upon because they were asylum seekers, that was specifically mentioned during the attack,” Metropolitan Police Superintendent Jane Corrigan told Press TV.

“I haven’t seen an attack like this in a number of years and certainly nothing in London. This was just appalling,” she added.

May condemns ‘despicable’ attack

UK Prime Minister Theresa May called the attack “absolutely despicable” and said she agreed with Conservative MP for Croydon Central, Gavin Barwell, that the “scum” responsible for the attack should pay for what they had done.

“This was an absolutely abominable attack, it’s completely unacceptable,” she said Monday, before leaving the UK for a tour to the Middle East.

All of the five suspects that appeared in court were from Croydon. Daryl Davis and his sister, Danyelle, were slated to be released on bail along with the Potts, the girl’s partner.

George Walder, however, remained in custody after being additionally charged with racially aggravated grievous bodily harm. His brother, Jack, was bailed. The defendants were slated to appear at Croydon crown court on May 1.

Police have arrested a total of 16 people with relation to the attack. A 17-year-old girl and a 23-year-old man named Kyran Evans, both from the same borough, were also charged with violent disorder and would appear in court on Tuesday. A 19-year-old man was also arrested on Monday.

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• Five people charged over refugee teen assault
• UK police arrest 6 over refugee teen beating

According to Scotland Yard, Reker was living with a legal guardian and has no family in the UK. Officials were trying to find his relatives in Iran.

Doctors said Monday that Reker’s injuries were no longer life-threatening and he could be moved from the intensive care unit to a mainstream ward.

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