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'I have cried myself to sleep'
A MOTHER and daughter were savagely beaten on a packed tube train after asking a girl to stop flicking sweets at them.
Hardeep, 29, and her mother Jashan, 50, of West Ealing, say they have both been left traumatised by the unprovoked assault.
Both women, who were so shaken by the brutal assault they have asked for only their first names to be printed, say the worst part of the terrifying ordeal was that nobody in the packed carriage stepped forward to pull the attackers off.
Hardeep said: "It has left me completely traumatised. I have cried myself to sleep every night since this happened. I never imagined something like this could happen on a busy train.
"I thought surely someone has to step in and stop this. Why did none of those men in the carriage do something to stop it? What has affected me almost as much is that so many people did not care enough to help us. It makes me think I should not be so caring towards other people."
The attack happened on a Central Line train between West Acton and Ealing Broadway at around 9.30pm, on Saturday, May 3, after Hardeep asked a girl to stop flicking sweets from an elasticated candy necklace at her.
Jashan said: "The girl had flicked sweets three times onto Hardeep before she asked her to stop.
"When she did, the girl said Who do you think you are, my mother?'. Hardeep did not respond so she kept asking and eventually my daughter said If I was your mother I would be ashamed'."
At this point a man who was sitting next to the girl started threatening to headbutt Hardeep. He then grabbed her. When Jashan stood up to defend her daughter, the girl stood up and blocked her way. Then she hit Jashan.
Jashan said: "At that point I blacked out, and the next thing I remember is seeing my daughter lying on the ground and both of them kicking her.
"Then the man grabbed her hair and pulled her head off the ground, before saying to me Watch this'. Then he began stamping on her chest with his boot. I went to pull him off, but he grabbed my throat and started strangling me."
Hardeep, who had been out shopping for a dress to wear to her graduation next week, has been left covered in bruises.
She said: "I never used to think badly of people, but that girl was deliberately trying to push all the buttons. No-one but my mother tried to stop them getting away, not the station workers or the police who came down.
"Only two people stayed to give statements to the police, the rest of them just disappeared. I would urge anyone who saw it to come forward so these people can be caught before they do something like this again."
PC Tracey Taylor-Provost, of British Transport Police (BTP), said: "We have collected forensic evidence and will be speaking with witnesses and reviewing CCTV from the station to help determine the attackers' identities.
"This was a vicious and completely unprovoked attack on two women who were simply making their way home."
The first suspect is described as a man, aged about 18, He is around 5ft 10ins tall and was wearing a grey, brown and khaki baseball cap, which was white under the peak.
The girl is described as white with a pale complexion, aged around 17. She is 5ft 5ins tall, with straight black shoulder-length hair and blue eyes. She was wearing a white top with skinny trousers and slip on shoes and was carrying a white carrier bag with a distinctive chequered pattern across the middle.
Anyone with information can contact BTP on 0800 40 50 40, or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.
11:07am Friday 9th May 2008
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CommentPosted by: Wayne Bridges, Ealing on 12:25pm Fri 9 May 08
This makes my bllod boil to think not one person tried to help them.
one of the issues that Boris needs to stamp out is anti social behaviour.
Lets make a start by catching the b**tards,lock them up and throw away the key.
That also includes the people who just stood their like lemons and did not do anything.
This makes my bllod boil to think not one person tried to help them.
one of the issues that Boris needs to stamp out is anti social behaviour.
Lets make a start by catching the b**tards,lock them up and throw away the key.
That also includes the people who just stood their like lemons and did not do anything.
Posted by: Nigel Brooks, Hanwell on 4:30pm Fri 9 May 08
Spot on Wayne.
I'm thoroughly fed up with all the work the police do in brigning scum to book to be dashed by pathetic fines and non-custodial sentences.
Hardeep, I hope that your graduation goes well and that you can put this behind you.
Spot on Wayne.
I'm thoroughly fed up with all the work the police do in brigning scum to book to be dashed by pathetic fines and non-custodial sentences.
Hardeep, I hope that your graduation goes well and that you can put this behind you.
Posted by: amrik mahi, southall on 4:57pm Fri 9 May 08
Shame on society for not stopping the attack.If you were on the train you should look in the mirror and hold your head in shame. The only decent thing for the so called members of society is to come forward and give witness accouts to the police.
Shame on society for not stopping the attack.If you were on the train you should look in the mirror and hold your head in shame. The only decent thing for the so called members of society is to come forward and give witness accouts to the police.
Posted by: jag, southall on 9:32pm Fri 9 May 08
and where on earth was the ticket inspector or the community police officers when this was happening, they seem to be on every carraige at once when everything is fine, but [bold]no where[/bold] to be seen when there is trouble, im not someone to encourage violence, but its because of people like this that i learnt kung fu
and where on earth was the ticket inspector or the community police officers when this was happening, they seem to be on every carraige at once when everything is fine, but
no where to be seen when there is trouble, im not someone to encourage violence, but its because of people like this that i learnt kung fu
Posted by: mohammed, greenford on 10:52pm Fri 9 May 08
hardeep, this story bought tears to my eyes. problem is no one has any fear of God in their hearts.
to all those people who did nothing remember this: what goes around comes around.
I pray to GOD i have the courage to interfere in situation like this.
hardeep, this story bought tears to my eyes. problem is no one has any fear of God in their hearts.
to all those people who did nothing remember this: what goes around comes around.
I pray to GOD i have the courage to interfere in situation like this.
Posted by: 49erDweet, Monterey Bay, US on 11:28pm Fri 9 May 08
Unbelievable. What a car-load of nincompoops. What has happened to Brits? Have they all undergone a form on national mass castration? I've ridden that line at about the same time, and only wish I had been there to have a chance to protect the pair from those pigs. Minding your own business only goes so far. After that its called "cowardice".
Unbelievable. What a car-load of nincompoops. What has happened to Brits? Have they all undergone a form on national mass castration? I've ridden that line at about the same time, and only wish I had been there to have a chance to protect the pair from those pigs. Minding your own business only goes so far. After that its called "cowardice".
Posted by: Michele, Knoxville,TN,USA on 6:35am Sat 10 May 08
Apalling. I thought this stuff just happened in New York Subways. That really makes me sad for humanity that people are too unaffected to step in and stop something like this when it happens. And there were MEN on the train that didn't help those women??? Horrid. I hope karma kicks their butts later on in life.
Apalling. I thought this stuff just happened in New York Subways. That really makes me sad for humanity that people are too unaffected to step in and stop something like this when it happens. And there were MEN on the train that didn't help those women??? Horrid. I hope karma kicks their butts later on in life.
Posted by: Lalu, Ealing on 5:25pm Sat 10 May 08
I take this line everyday to go into the city,oh dear lord, what is happening to us?I just hope that they get those bust**ds.i think, it is shameful that we are becoming a society that lacks any sense of community and courage to protect each other. I am however, mostly shocked , that the police didn't do any- think to catch them. If people like this knw , how easy it is to get away with such crimes , there is no doubt that they will strike again. Anyway Hardeep, i hope you will have a wonderful graduation and good luck with finding those morons . Best of[bold][bold]bold[/bold] [/bold] wishes, xxx[bold][bold]bold[/bold] [/bold]
I take this line everyday to go into the city,oh dear lord, what is happening to us?I just hope that they get those bust**ds.i think, it is shameful that we are becoming a society that lacks any sense of community and courage to protect each other. I am however, mostly shocked , that the police didn't do any- think to catch them. If people like this knw , how easy it is to get away with such crimes , there is no doubt that they will strike again. Anyway Hardeep, i hope you will have a wonderful graduation and good luck with finding those morons . Best of
wishes, xxx
Posted by: Brent, London on 9:47pm Sat 10 May 08
The reasons people don't intervene boil down to one factor: self preservation.
The risks of becoming involved far outweigh the reward that comes with doing the right thing. You can face a beating yourself, or if you do stop the attack and injure one of these scumbags, you face prosecution for assault.
It is high time that the government declared these anti-social criminals outlaws, removing their rights and freedoms under the law so that decent people are free to enforce the law without fear of being hauled before the courts.
Rehabilitation of offenders is a worth goal, but there is no way the government will put the resources in to ensure that jails become places of rehabilitation and not just places of punishment. We're much better off admitting this, then moving forwards to design a criminal justice system that removes the threat of criminal elements through segregation or elimination.
Bleeding-heart liberals may cry all they like, but you'll not see them putting on a blue uniform and actually facing these idiots very often.
The reasons people don't intervene boil down to one factor: self preservation.
The risks of becoming involved far outweigh the reward that comes with doing the right thing. You can face a beating yourself, or if you do stop the attack and injure one of these scumbags, you face prosecution for assault.
It is high time that the government declared these anti-social criminals outlaws, removing their rights and freedoms under the law so that decent people are free to enforce the law without fear of being hauled before the courts.
Rehabilitation of offenders is a worth goal, but there is no way the government will put the resources in to ensure that jails become places of rehabilitation and not just places of punishment. We're much better off admitting this, then moving forwards to design a criminal justice system that removes the threat of criminal elements through segregation or elimination.
Bleeding-heart liberals may cry all they like, but you'll not see them putting on a blue uniform and actually facing these idiots very often.
Posted by: Croyboy on 3:15am Mon 12 May 08
49erDweet wrote[quote]Unbelievable. What a car-load of nincompoops. What has happened to Brits? [/quote]
Brits? In [italic]London[/italic]?
"Pretty few and far between" is the answer to that one!
49erDweet wrote
Unbelievable. What a car-load of nincompoops. What has happened to Brits?
Brits? In
London?
"Pretty few and far between" is the answer to that one!
Posted by: John Kenny, Ealing on 11:24am Mon 12 May 08
As a "large male", I might have been of some help if I had been there, although I would try to help by not lifting a finger.
I stopped 2 similar incidences on the New York subway many years ago by doing nothing physical. Just by establishing presence, cowards will nearly always back off.
This is different when football thugs are on the go, because of safety in numbers they actively seek out "large males" as targets. So I particularly have to hide when they are going through train carridges.
If verbal and "large presence" did not help. I would be extremely reluctant to help physically as I would fear being counter accused of assult by the 2 thugs involved.
In the bleeding heart legalistic environment the UK has fostered, the violent are themselves considered misunderstood victims and their misdeeds are actually considered a cry for help.
Fear of this legislative environment, may have caused some people to hold back and try to avoid trouble.
I feel really sorry for those 2 women.
As a "large male", I might have been of some help if I had been there, although I would try to help by not lifting a finger.
I stopped 2 similar incidences on the New York subway many years ago by doing nothing physical. Just by establishing presence, cowards will nearly always back off.
This is different when football thugs are on the go, because of safety in numbers they actively seek out "large males" as targets. So I particularly have to hide when they are going through train carridges.
If verbal and "large presence" did not help. I would be extremely reluctant to help physically as I would fear being counter accused of assult by the 2 thugs involved.
In the bleeding heart legalistic environment the UK has fostered, the violent are themselves considered misunderstood victims and their misdeeds are actually considered a cry for help.
Fear of this legislative environment, may have caused some people to hold back and try to avoid trouble.
I feel really sorry for those 2 women.
Posted by: Hardeep, Ealing on 11:58am Tue 13 May 08
Thank you all for your postings and good wishes. We have been wondering what has happened to society, particularly mother who comes from the more caring generation. I’d appreciate your thoughts on what can be done to promote a caring and more nurturing society with a strong sense of community spirit?
I went straight back to work on the Tuesday after the incident and decided to take the over ground, low and behold there was an aggressive fare dodger well known by the transport staff. [bold]Nigel[/bold] evidently these people are not suitably punished as they continue to re-offend.
It worries me that people are told by the police no matter how much your being nuisanced just ignore it, turn the other cheek. It is because of such advice nobody was prepared to help me off the ground or pull the boy off my mother or hold the pair until the police were prepared to make an arrest….
It’s easy to hold media & poor parenting responsible for anti-social behaviour, surely we all have a part in this as we continue to ignore things that happen right under our noses for self preservation reasons as identified by the reader above. I hope local papers will write articles explaining what we are legally permitted to do when faced with such situations while promoting many more community activities. I hope Boris Johnson will also start up more initiatives to promote a community spirit.
In the meantime I’m left with nightmares and a swarm of annoying questions…Do these people’s parents know what their children are like? Do these parents need assistance with disciplining their children?
I’m expected to pay my fares and taxes and allow people to throw things at me, spit at me and say what they will only for me to turn the other cheek. Would that be human to ignore it? What is to encourage me to continue contributing towards society, when there are heathens who only wish to take and torment me for being one of the givers? Why is it that we send troops and peacekeepers out to permit folks to live a freer life when the advice given here is to walk away? All those soldiers who have lost their lives for us to live a free life to exercise our human rights only to be told by the police you should ignore anti-social behaviour. Self preservation is damaging society, what’s it going to take to curb these horrendous crimes?
Listening to the news throughout the week hearing of stabbings, killings etc further confirm my faith and I appreciate that I have been lucky. I could have experienced the same fate as the lawyer who was stabbed to death in front of his fiancée because a group of imbeciles would not stop from throwing chips at him. I’m grateful that my family will see me graduate again tomorrow, I only hope the journey via tube will not affect mother’s recovery.
Thank you all for your postings and good wishes. We have been wondering what has happened to society, particularly mother who comes from the more caring generation. I’d appreciate your thoughts on what can be done to promote a caring and more nurturing society with a strong sense of community spirit?
I went straight back to work on the Tuesday after the incident and decided to take the over ground, low and behold there was an aggressive fare dodger well known by the transport staff.
Nigel evidently these people are not suitably punished as they continue to re-offend.
It worries me that people are told by the police no matter how much your being nuisanced just ignore it, turn the other cheek. It is because of such advice nobody was prepared to help me off the ground or pull the boy off my mother or hold the pair until the police were prepared to make an arrest….
It’s easy to hold media & poor parenting responsible for anti-social behaviour, surely we all have a part in this as we continue to ignore things that happen right under our noses for self preservation reasons as identified by the reader above. I hope local papers will write articles explaining what we are legally permitted to do when faced with such situations while promoting many more community activities. I hope Boris Johnson will also start up more initiatives to promote a community spirit.
In the meantime I’m left with nightmares and a swarm of annoying questions…Do these people’s parents know what their children are like? Do these parents need assistance with disciplining their children?
I’m expected to pay my fares and taxes and allow people to throw things at me, spit at me and say what they will only for me to turn the other cheek. Would that be human to ignore it? What is to encourage me to continue contributing towards society, when there are heathens who only wish to take and torment me for being one of the givers? Why is it that we send troops and peacekeepers out to permit folks to live a freer life when the advice given here is to walk away? All those soldiers who have lost their lives for us to live a free life to exercise our human rights only to be told by the police you should ignore anti-social behaviour. Self preservation is damaging society, what’s it going to take to curb these horrendous crimes?
Listening to the news throughout the week hearing of stabbings, killings etc further confirm my faith and I appreciate that I have been lucky. I could have experienced the same fate as the lawyer who was stabbed to death in front of his fiancée because a group of imbeciles would not stop from throwing chips at him. I’m grateful that my family will see me graduate again tomorrow, I only hope the journey via tube will not affect mother’s recovery.
Posted by: Wendy Wekesa, Marble Arch London on 3:36pm Tue 13 May 08
I was hoorified to hear the whole story from Hadeep today.I can not imagine that in this day and age people can sit comfortably on a train carriage and watch two teenagers attack innocent people and not get involved or even call the police.This is why crime will keep rising .We as citizens in this country have to stand up and fight these teenagers/people without hearts,no one is going to come from their own countries and fight this for us.we have to fight in our communities because today it will happen to someone you do not know tomorrow it will be you/ someone you care for.London lets arise ,this attitude of not wanting to be involved is so wrong,the police can not do it by themselves they need our help to stop somethings happening.In this case all these two teenagers needed to see was the rest of the people move to the other side of the carriage to think ,yes no will will report this and continue.London have a heart.Thank you to those two black women who called the police.Hope you two get thorugh this trauma and carry on with youur lives,am glad to know there a process in place to catch these criminals.
I was hoorified to hear the whole story from Hadeep today.I can not imagine that in this day and age people can sit comfortably on a train carriage and watch two teenagers attack innocent people and not get involved or even call the police.This is why crime will keep rising .We as citizens in this country have to stand up and fight these teenagers/people without hearts,no one is going to come from their own countries and fight this for us.we have to fight in our communities because today it will happen to someone you do not know tomorrow it will be you/ someone you care for.London lets arise ,this attitude of not wanting to be involved is so wrong,the police can not do it by themselves they need our help to stop somethings happening.In this case all these two teenagers needed to see was the rest of the people move to the other side of the carriage to think ,yes no will will report this and continue.London have a heart.Thank you to those two black women who called the police.Hope you two get thorugh this trauma and carry on with youur lives,am glad to know there a process in place to catch these criminals.
Posted by: Miss. Kaur, west london on 5:11pm Tue 13 May 08
It is for reasons such as this that I refuse to travel on public transport. No one stands up for anyone anymore for fear of being attacked. We read so often about the good samaritans who help out and are attacked for doing so, so this moral panic has led to society fearing to step in now. I work with young people on an informal basis and work with my local authority's safer transport for london team of Police Community Support Officers. Between us, we hope to discourage such behaviour on public transport and disuade young people from generally resorting to such aggression and violence. I strongly suggest that you speak to your local safer transport team and ask what they are doing to combat this type of behaviour in your borough. It might make them realise that they should be seen more on trains and buses etc. But of course, what it comes down to in a lot of cases is the way these young people are bred. Unfortunately, some people only behave as animals as that is what they are raised by. I hope your graduation goes well, is a happy day and that you'll have a picture to be proud of rather than one with evidence of this horrific and cowardly attack. I send my best wishes to you both and hope the offenders are caught.
It is for reasons such as this that I refuse to travel on public transport. No one stands up for anyone anymore for fear of being attacked. We read so often about the good samaritans who help out and are attacked for doing so, so this moral panic has led to society fearing to step in now. I work with young people on an informal basis and work with my local authority's safer transport for london team of Police Community Support Officers. Between us, we hope to discourage such behaviour on public transport and disuade young people from generally resorting to such aggression and violence. I strongly suggest that you speak to your local safer transport team and ask what they are doing to combat this type of behaviour in your borough. It might make them realise that they should be seen more on trains and buses etc. But of course, what it comes down to in a lot of cases is the way these young people are bred. Unfortunately, some people only behave as animals as that is what they are raised by. I hope your graduation goes well, is a happy day and that you'll have a picture to be proud of rather than one with evidence of this horrific and cowardly attack. I send my best wishes to you both and hope the offenders are caught.
Posted by: Croyboy on 2:54am Wed 14 May 08
Hardeep wrote [quote]I hope Boris Johnson will also start up more initiatives to promote a community spirit.[/quote]
That's precisely the problem: [italic]what[/italic] "community spirit? ...The Asian community? The Muslim community? The Turkish community? The Sikh community? The Afro-Caribbean community? The Somali community? The... well, you get the point. My country (That's England, by the way, and there apparently [italic]is[/italic] no "English community") has become a Balkanised mess, and this incident is partially due to the resulting alienation it's caused.
Hardeep wrote
I hope Boris Johnson will also start up more initiatives to promote a community spirit.
That's precisely the problem:
what "community spirit? ...The Asian community? The Muslim community? The Turkish community? The Sikh community? The Afro-Caribbean community? The Somali community? The... well, you get the point. My country (That's England, by the way, and there apparently
is no "English community") has become a Balkanised mess, and this incident is partially due to the resulting alienation it's caused.
Posted by: hardeep, Ealing on 2:16pm today
Croyboy, I appreciate your sentiments and would agree that we seemed to have got a little over the top with promoting different communities which instead of promoting cross-cultural awareness has possibly encouraged segregation. Perhaps we could come collectively brainstorm to draw up an idea to bring these communities together and develop a diverse community culture which is supportive and caring to each other...it works on a corporate level, why not in society as a whole?
Croyboy, I appreciate your sentiments and would agree that we seemed to have got a little over the top with promoting different communities which instead of promoting cross-cultural awareness has possibly encouraged segregation. Perhaps we could come collectively brainstorm to draw up an idea to bring these communities together and develop a diverse community culture which is supportive and caring to each other...it works on a corporate level, why not in society as a whole?
Posted by: Cath, W2 on 2:53pm today
Hardeep, In answer to the question "how do we promote a sense of community", I think we need to start really simply, and use manners towards strangers. "Please", "thank you" and "sorry" are not difficult to say. I bumped into a young bloke on the train station the other night, both of us dashing for trains. I took the time to say "sorry", even though I could see he was puffing himself up. It deflated the situation - just one small word. It may not work in all situations, and certainly not in the ghastly, dreadful attack on you and your mother. But if we ALL started being polite, wouldn't those that aren't stand out like a sore thumb? Peer pressure - especially on the young - is a [bold]VERY[/bold] powerful thing. If all your friends were polite, and you were uncouth, would you stay that way for long?
It might be a dream, but it's something we can ALL do. A very small way to imbue a sense of community, amongst strangers, regardless of creed, colour, etc.
Cath
Hardeep, In answer to the question "how do we promote a sense of community", I think we need to start really simply, and use manners towards strangers. "Please", "thank you" and "sorry" are not difficult to say. I bumped into a young bloke on the train station the other night, both of us dashing for trains. I took the time to say "sorry", even though I could see he was puffing himself up. It deflated the situation - just one small word. It may not work in all situations, and certainly not in the ghastly, dreadful attack on you and your mother. But if we ALL started being polite, wouldn't those that aren't stand out like a sore thumb? Peer pressure - especially on the young - is a
VERY powerful thing. If all your friends were polite, and you were uncouth, would you stay that way for long?
It might be a dream, but it's something we can ALL do. A very small way to imbue a sense of community, amongst strangers, regardless of creed, colour, etc.
Cath
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