Man shocked by ‘happy slapping’ (From News Shopper)

Man shocked by ‘happy slapping’

10:18am Thursday 26th May 2005 in

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A 41-YEAR-OLD man is in shock after becoming a "happy slapping" victim at the hands of a 13-year-old boy.

The man, who wishes to be known only as Martyn, was on a packed bus from Belvedere Village to Bexleyheath on May 11 at around 8.15am.

The IT manager is 18 stone and 5ft 11ins tall but it did not stop the teenager, 28 years his junior, slapping him round the head.

He thinks the attack was part of a new craze where innocent people are hit and the offenders record it on mobile phones dubbed "happy slapping".

Martyn said: "Had I hit the kid he would have flown across the bus but then I would have been charged for hitting a minor.

"More worrying is if he could attack me in daylight then what about the elderly or other kids? What happens when it gets dark?

"I don't know the answer to solving the problem because kids have no respect and no discipline."

The incident started when Martyn asked the teenager to take his feet down from a chair so he could sit on it.

The offender obliged but blocked the path to the seat so the victim had no choice but to squeeze past.

Martyn, who has two teenage sons, said: "He jumped up and slapped me round the back of my head several times. They were hefty slaps and although I wasn't hurt, I was stunned."

The Met Police said: "We have received a number of allegations where young people have assaulted someone and the offence has been videoed or photographed on a mobile phone.

"The allegations are recorded appropriately reflecting the severity of the offence. This may be either a common assault, actual bodily harm or grievous bodily harm."