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Police hunt for two men after 'sickening' assault

3:26pm Saturday 20th September 2008

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Police are hunting for two men in Croydon after a sickening assault in which one man had his head repeatedly “smashed against a wall”.

The victim was rushed to hospital by a member of the public following the incident near the Whitgift Centre at 2.30pm today. His injuries are not thought to be life threatening. One eyewitness said the attack was particularly brutal. “There were two guys bashing another guy’s head against the wall and then they ran away. It makes me feel sick thinking about it,” she said.

Another eyewitness said police had cordoned off the area.

“There is a lot of blood and people are crowding round to have a look, but police have sealed it off,” he said.

A police spokesman said they were looking for two black men in connection with the incident.

“We were called to reports of fighting about 2.30pm,” he said. “Three black men were involved and two men were seen running the scene.

“It appears that a member of the public took the injured male to hospital.

“One of the attackers was wearing a green hat and black shirt, the other had a gray top and trousers.”

Anyone with information should call Crimestopers on 0800 555 111.


Your Say YourYour Local Guardian

Touran, London says...
5:15pm Sat 20 Sep 08

Croydon is becoming the pits day or night.

ANNE GILES, SELSDON says...
6:32pm Sat 20 Sep 08

No - it is not. I am quite happy to go to the Whitgift Centre on a Saturday afternoon. I was there last Saturday and the atmosphere was extremely good. I returned there on Sunday and it was fine.We had a great time. I met a friend for a drink in the Cafe Giardino on Thursday lunchtime and again had a good time. Crime happens everywhere - it is a fact of life. I travel to various countries and witness it quite often. In Miami in 1990 when we were there, there were six murders a day. That was one thing I never liked about the USA - too many people with guns. I feel a lot safer here.

Touran, London says...
10:02am Sun 21 Sep 08

What a ridiculous defensive statment you make.

"Sickening" assults don't happen "everywhere" as you claim, just because you are prepared to step over the pools of blood spilt on to the footpaths of Croydon to shop, doesn't mean everyone else see's life through your rose tinted spectacles.

It's not a crime to comment of the negative aspects of Croydon that are making the news.

ANNE GILES, SELSDON says...
1:03pm Sun 21 Sep 08

No - it is not ridiculous. Far from my glasses being rose-tinted, yours appear to be dark glasses. The last time I saw a pool of blood was when I lived near Arsenal football ground in the 80s. I got fed up of the football yobs and the violence and decided Croydon was a safer place. It still is. It is not a crime for you to make negative comments. Please do not forget that negative stories sell newspapers. Assaults do happen everywhere. We are lucky. We do not live in Iraq or Afghanistan. Women are not forced to cover their faces. Women can drive and go to work. We have freedom. In New York I could hear police sirens all night long. We hardly slept. I don't hear them here. In some Latin American countries one has to take taxis everywere because of robberies, or at least wear moneybelts, as handbags and wallets get stolen. We are very, very lucky to live here. Now please don't talk rubbish.

Touran, London says...
1:36pm Sun 21 Sep 08

What a ridiculous defensive statment you make.

Everytime something negative is reported about Croydon you start harrasing people on here who make a comment about it.

My view is different to your view, that doesn't make you right and me wrong.

I cant be bothered dealing with ecentric octogenarians.


ANNE GILES, SELSDON says...
4:04pm Sun 21 Sep 08

You are entitled to your opinions and I am entitled to mine. Giving an opinion does not constitute harrassment. If you feel harrassed, then seek help. And please don't turn me into an OAP. I work. I also do not wish to deal with eccentric people in their 90s, so perhaps ask your great great grandchildren for their views. They might be able to put you straight.

Touran, London says...
4:16pm Sun 21 Sep 08

What a ridiculous defensive statment you make Mrs.Wilberforce!!!!!



ANNE GILES, SELSDON says...
4:33pm Sun 21 Sep 08

Don't know the lady, I am afraid. Now I am going to spend the rest of the day preparing lessons for my students, course outlines, individual learning plans, initial assessments, handouts, revision from last term, powerpoint presentations, finding web sites with useful material. What about yourself? Jam making, perhaps? Knitting? Peering out of your net curtains?? 'Bye for now.

Touran, London says...
4:53pm Sun 21 Sep 08

Yes you eccentric octogenarians are always busy listing how to make jam!!!!!,.

Remember the Alamo, San Antonio says...
6:17pm Sun 21 Sep 08

ANNE GILES wrote:
No - it is not. I am quite happy to go to the Whitgift Centre on a Saturday afternoon. I was there last Saturday and the atmosphere was extremely good. I returned there on Sunday and it was fine.We had a great time. I met a friend for a drink in the Cafe Giardino on Thursday lunchtime and again had a good time. Crime happens everywhere - it is a fact of life. I travel to various countries and witness it quite often. In Miami in 1990 when we were there, there were six murders a day. That was one thing I never liked about the USA - too many people with guns. I feel a lot safer here.
Too many guns in the US? This is on your front page of the BBC news. "A businessman died and his wife was left with gunshot wounds after a double shooting at their Cornwall home. "

For a country to have NO guns, and is, according to you, much safer, yall sure seem to be having alot of shootings. At least we have the ability and the laws that allow us to fight back.

ANNE GILES, SELSDON says...
6:21pm Sun 21 Sep 08

Well, bless my cotton socks and glory, Hallelujah! Pronto - saddle me my horse and get me down to the old corral. Quick now!

Remember the Alamo, San Antonio says...
6:56pm Sun 21 Sep 08

ANNE GILES wrote:
Well, bless my cotton socks and glory, Hallelujah! Pronto - saddle me my horse and get me down to the old corral. Quick now!
I think that Touran person "hit the nail on the head" when he questioned the intelligence of your responses. Your feeble attempt to imitate our speach pattern is worse the what Dick Van Dyke did to the Cockneys.

Remember the Alamo, San Antonio says...
7:17pm Sun 21 Sep 08

Touran wrote:
What a ridiculous defensive statment you make.Everytime something negative is reported about Croydon you start harrasing people on here who make a comment about it.My view is different to your view, that doesn't make you right and me wrong.I cant be bothered dealing with ecentric octogenarians.
Im not sure your friend "anne" is living in the same reality as the rest of us. I was in Croydon the week of Easter this year. I was staying at the Travelodge. All week I hear sirens. Saturday night/Easter moring, I heard/saw police and ambulances running all night long. I admit that I had no problems myself, the 5 times I have been there and up through Streatham, but I am/look like someone who will defend himself. This is apparently a trait that "anne" finds amusing. It must have been the cowboy hat/boots and accent that "anne" did such a sorry job of mocking. But clearly it worked.

ANNE GILES, SELSDON says...
9:08pm Sun 21 Sep 08

Well - strap me to a tree and call me Brenda.

Remember the Alamo, San Antonio says...
9:29pm Sun 21 Sep 08

"Now I am going to spend the rest of the day preparing lessons for my students, course outlines, individual learning plans, initial assessments, handouts, revision from last term, powerpoint presentations, finding web sites with useful material."
I think the people of Croydon should fear the fact that someone like Anne, who is so ignorant and clearly biggoted is teaching their children. (i can only imagine the powerpoint presentation, lesson plans your brewing up) I guess now we know why she is so willing to overlook the ills of society over there. She is one of the main reasons for the illness. Getting her influence away from your children may do alot to improve your society.

Touran, London says...
9:55pm Sun 21 Sep 08

Yes but she is very dotty and eccentric so there is an excuse for the poor old dear,.

ANNE GILES, SELSDON says...
9:01am Mon 22 Sep 08

When did I mention teaching children? I teach adults. Only very negative people concentrate on the ills of society and wallow in their misery. The rest of us are all very positive. A very nasty incident happens at the Whitgift Centre and suddenly you feel unsafe. The Whitgift Centre is a very nice shopping centre - I go there every week and have been going for years - it has always been safe. My friends love it. One incident and you two seem to be about to have a nervous breakdown. Neither of you live here - so Touran, try sticking to putting daft comments in a London paper in your part of London and Remember the Alamo - you don't live in this lovely country - so don't interfere. We don't need you. This is a wonderful country where police do NOT carry guns - where guns are not purchased by fathers for their children. I was brought up in a gun-toting country where at least two police officers a month were being shot dead. I feel a lot safer here. Now move off.

plecko, croydon says...
9:22am Mon 22 Sep 08

I was lucky enough to walk past this scene on Saturday. I don't feel safe in Croydon anymore. When I was younger, I always knew I had to be a bit wary but now I'm seeing the reality of it and it's just getting worse. No one can say Croydon is a safe town, look at the past few years. Sally Anne Bowman, Eugene Attram, Oliver Kingonzila, the stabbing that happened at East Croydon station a couple of weeks ago, and now this incident last saturday. You've also got the fights that happen, gangs, robberies etc. It's a constant string of events, and they're never just petty crimes. East Croydon station was shamed as the most unsafe train station in Britain (shown on Crimewatch), so how anyone feels safe here.. It's beyond me. I know that every part of the UK has crime but Croydon is one area where I do not feel at all safe. I go to Croydon College now and the problem is so big they they've got security guards, police patrol the area, they use metal detectors and search students. This is supposed to make us feel safe? It makes me feel more paranoid to know that they have to take these extreme measures. I cannot wait for the day when I can move away from here.

Touran, London says...
9:48am Mon 22 Sep 08

Only Mrs.Willberforce the dotty eccentric woman in the 'ladykillers' thought everyone and everything was good!!!!! nah nah nan nah nah!!! lol

Bob Peel, Croydon says...
10:03am Mon 22 Sep 08

OFFICIAL! From the keyboard of Bob Peel:

Croydon is a total sh*t heap any time of day.

As for 'Remember the Alamo' if we want an American bent we'll ask for it; until then - button it.


ANNE GILES, SELSDON says...
11:33am Mon 22 Sep 08

Oh, hello Bob. Nice to see you here. I know we don't always agree, but at least you are a nice, polite person. I agree with your last sentence, at least. xxx

Bob Peel, Croydon says...
12:08pm Mon 22 Sep 08

Hello Anne,

You'll have the other posters wispering.....

Did like your, "Well - strap me to a tree and call me Brenda."

Excellent, especially as Brenda means 'flaming sword.'

Cheers
Bob

Remember the Alamo, San Antonio says...
12:41pm Mon 22 Sep 08

Bob Peel wrote:
OFFICIAL! From the keyboard of Bob Peel:Croydon is a total sh*t heap any time of day.As for 'Remember the Alamo' if we want an American bent we'll ask for it; until then - button it.
Seen as how "anne" brought up America in her first comment, she invited a response. Therefore, you can take your comment and your offical keyboard and insert them in the appropriate orifice. I seem to recall putting you in your place several times in the past. I guess you still havent learned your lesson.

ANNE GILES, SELSDON says...
12:49pm Mon 22 Sep 08

That's me, Bob. Actually, if you do a Google Search on "Well, strap me...etc." you'll find out where it came from. Vivian Stanshall, formerly of Bonzo Dog Doodah Band and Sir Henry at Rawlinson End (film with Trevor Howard). Used to be on TV with Spike Milligan and on radio with John Peel. Anyway, Bob - call me Brenda if you like.

Bob Peel, Croydon says...
2:09pm Mon 22 Sep 08

Remember the Alamo

It would take more than some pitiful 'wannabee a septic' like you to put me anywhere near 'my place.'

Fortunately for you your claims are all delusional.




reality-bites, London says...
2:10pm Mon 22 Sep 08

As we should all deal with Facts and not listen to Anne. Knife crime in Croydon Has risen along with assaults.

Year on year it rises, with the odd blip.

Over the last 25 years though, knife crime has risen a staggering 80% - and even Anne could not make appeasing groveling excuses for that!

Anne likes to defend the police and and i agree with her. They are at the sharp end of a weak justice system - I mean 10-12 years (average) for murder now is shocking, and that leniency trickles down from there.

Society is crumbling with the help of government, media and P.C.

Strangely, crime, chavvy - confrontational behavior has been on the rise since Eastenders was first broadcast. bad behavior is a learned thing.

Can a programme that shows good people struggle and bad people successful but all always arguing and never happy be good for our kids?

Shameless, big bro, skins, booze britain - they are what our kids watch........

I do not even have to mention the drugs this government lets flood in through a weak border control!

ALL CONTRIBUTE TO ENGLANDS ATTRITION. Only the naive would call me paranoid.








ANNE GILES, SELSDON says...
3:29pm Mon 22 Sep 08

Reality-bites - your figures are entirely incorrect. Your 80% is not Croydon, and putting such incorrect figures in is designed to alarm people. As quoted by a Chief Inspector at the CCPCG on Wednesdy and mentioned again in my latest blog: "Knife crime is the main problem now - an increase of 8.6%, but robberies are down by 20%." Get your facts right, please. I have never said that knife crime was down. I have merely said that a Saturday afternoon assault in the Whitgift does not mean that you should be afraid to go there. Get your Mummy to go with you and hold your hand, or something.

NastyMrTom, Croydon says...
5:17pm Mon 22 Sep 08

Remember the Alamo wrote:
Touran wrote:What a ridiculous defensive statment you make.Everytime something negative is reported about Croydon you start harrasing people on here who make a comment about it.My view is different to your view, that doesn't make you right and me wrong.I cant be bothered dealing with ecentric octogenarians.Im not sure your friend "anne" is living in the same reality as the rest of us. I was in Croydon the week of Easter this year. I was staying at the Travelodge. All week I hear sirens. Saturday night/Easter moring, I heard/saw police and ambulances running all night long. I admit that I had no problems myself, the 5 times I have been there and up through Streatham, but I am/look like someone who will defend himself. This is apparently a trait that "anne" finds amusing. It must have been the cowboy hat/boots and accent that "anne" did such a sorry job of mocking. But clearly it worked.
The amount of sirens heard during your weeks stay in Croydon is hardly basis for informed comment.

Are you joking about wearing cowboy hat and boots as a sign that you're capable of defending yourself ...
... I really hope not , hillarious stuff !!!

NastyMrTom, Croydon says...
6:37pm Mon 22 Sep 08

reality-bites wrote:
As we should all deal with Facts and not listen to Anne. Knife crime in Croydon Has risen along with assaults. Year on year it rises, with the odd blip. Over the last 25 years though, knife crime has risen a staggering 80% - and even Anne could not make appeasing groveling excuses for that!Anne likes to defend the police and and i agree with her. They are at the sharp end of a weak justice system - I mean 10-12 years (average) for murder now is shocking, and that leniency trickles down from there.Society is crumbling with the help of government, media and P.C.Strangely, crime, chavvy - confrontational behavior has been on the rise since Eastenders was first broadcast. bad behavior is a learned thing.Can a programme that shows good people struggle and bad people successful but all always arguing and never happy be good for our kids? Shameless, big bro, skins, booze britain - they are what our kids watch........I do not even have to mention the drugs this government lets flood in through a weak border control!ALL CONTRIBUTE TO ENGLANDS ATTRITION. Only the naive would call me paranoid.
According to the British Crime Survey (BCS), overall violent crime has decreased by 41% since a peak in 1995
Knives are used in about 8% of violent incidents, according to the BCS, a level that has largely remained the same during the past decade

If you didn't spend your time watching crap telly you'd be better informed I reckon ...

reality-bites, London says...
9:19pm Mon 22 Sep 08

Tom and Anne - you must have missed that i wrote 25 years not ten or last year, you may be appologists, but you really must read more carefully - a quick glance through the archives and you will find that not one person was stabbed to death in Croydon in 1983 - nor 1982(unless you can find otherwise) for that matter -yes 25 years ago! now work the percentages out!

Keep you heads in the sand if you like but the rest of us see things as they are.

One murder is too much, making excuses just offends the poor victims and witholds blame from where it should be aimed.

ANNE GILES, SELSDON says...
10:00pm Mon 22 Sep 08

Oh, deary, deary me - deary, deary, deary me - deary, deary me. I have just returned from teaching a nice class of positive, happy, optimistic students - 15 of them. Very refreshing. Hola, Buenas Tardes. Me llamo Anne. Adios.

Remember the Alamo, San Antonio says...
10:40pm Mon 22 Sep 08

NastyMrTom wrote:
Remember the Alamo wrote:Touran wrote:What a ridiculous defensive statment you make.Everytime something negative is reported about Croydon you start harrasing people on here who make a comment about it.My view is different to your view, that doesn't make you right and me wrong.I cant be bothered dealing with ecentric octogenarians.Im not sure your friend "anne" is living in the same reality as the rest of us. I was in Croydon the week of Easter this year. I was staying at the Travelodge. All week I hear sirens. Saturday night/Easter moring, I heard/saw police and ambulances running all night long. I admit that I had no problems myself, the 5 times I have been there and up through Streatham, but I am/look like someone who will defend himself. This is apparently a trait that "anne" finds amusing. It must have been the cowboy hat/boots and accent that "anne" did such a sorry job of mocking. But clearly it worked.The amount of sirens heard during your weeks stay in Croydon is hardly basis for informed comment. Are you joking about wearing cowboy hat and boots as a sign that you're capable of defending yourself ... ... I really hope not , hillarious stuff !!!
Actually the sirens comment was in response to anne's shot at NY city and being kept up all night. The Cowboy hat and boots comment was rubbing her nose in her clearly biggoted mindset towards Texans.

ANNE GILES, SELSDON says...
10:13am Tue 23 Sep 08

I'm just goin' to mosey along the old trail to do some cotton pickin'.

Remember the Alamo, San Antonio says...
12:09pm Tue 23 Sep 08

ANNE GILES wrote:
I'm just goin' to mosey along the old trail to do some cotton pickin'.
I think the only "picking" your qualified to do is your nose.

Remember the Alamo, San Antonio says...
12:12pm Tue 23 Sep 08

Bob Peel wrote:
Remember the AlamoIt would take more than some pitiful 'wannabee a septic' like you to put me anywhere near 'my place.'Fortunately for you your claims are all delusional.
Your convenient lack of memory is no concern to me.

pengi-wengi, Wallington says...
12:26pm Tue 23 Sep 08

If we're naming TV shows that apparently cause people to be violent/rude/abusive etc, then what about South Park?! I watch that, yet I have no desire to carry out many of the politically incorrect adventures of it's 8 year old stars! South Park is extremely homophobic, yet as a gay person, I find it extremely hilarious cos I have a sense of humour!

Same as I'm a HUGE fan of Shameless, doesn't mean that I'm now going to go out and torch buildings, or sleep behind my girlfriend's back, or become an alcoholic!

TV shows/films/music don't cause people to act the way they do. People act like a*seholes because of the way they were brought up or because of what's in their head to begin with.

ANNE GILES, SELSDON says...
12:47pm Tue 23 Sep 08

How very, very true. How refreshing to see you on here, pengi-wengi.

reality-bites, London says...
1:14pm Tue 23 Sep 08

I agree Pengi - some people are just scum, full stop. Crap tv doesn't help either though!

T.V. And music has always affected the easily influenced - even the most naive realise that!

I'm not saying these programmes always cause these problems - but they help normalise some behaviour in SOME people.

It's not rocket science is it!

pengi-wengi, Wallington says...
2:20pm Tue 23 Sep 08

I'd be worried if my older brother started becoming influenced by GTA, but I know it's NEVER going to happen because he's stable minded

OK, so he chooses to rob cars, go on a shooting spree, but that's all within the realms of GTA on a computer - he's not the type to go and do it in real life.

Take for example, The Sims. A nice, seemingly normal reality simulator, but you can still choose to make your little person die in a fire or make them drown in a swimming pool - but it's not real, and it doesn't necessarily mean that if you do that in a computer game, you're going to want to do it in real life! I know I've never felt the urge anyway!

NastyMrTom, Croydon says...
2:59pm Tue 23 Sep 08

reality-bites wrote:
Tom and Anne - you must have missed that i wrote 25 years not ten or last year, you may be appologists, but you really must read more carefully - a quick glance through the archives and you will find that not one person was stabbed to death in Croydon in 1983 - nor 1982(unless you can find otherwise) for that matter -yes 25 years ago! now work the percentages out!Keep you heads in the sand if you like but the rest of us see things as they are.One murder is too much, making excuses just offends the poor victims and witholds blame from where it should be aimed.


I know you wrote 25 years and you're still talking complete rubbish. What 'archives' are you using because the police haven't broken down their assault stats by weapon for more than a year or so and the BCS stats aren't area specific (they're pretty ropey too but that's a different story)

It's not our heads in the sand , it's yours in the clouds.

As for making excuses ... what are you talking about ? Pointing out that you're talking a lot of drivel and simply perpetuating a dangerous myth isn't defending any violent action or offending the victims. If there is indeed a current crisis it's blinkered rhetoric like yours that only fuels the misguided need for people to arm themselves. I know you wrote 25 years and you're still talking complete rubbish. What 'archives' are you using because the police haven't broken down their assult stats by weapon for more than a year or so and the BCS stats aren't area specific (they're pretty ropey too but that's a different story)

It's not our heads in the sand , it's yours in the clouds.

As for making excuses ... what are you talking about ? Pointing out that you're talking a lot of drivel and simply perpetuating a dangerous myth isn't defending any violent action or offending the victims. If there is indeed a current crisis it's blinkered rhetoric like yours that only fuels the misguided need for people to arm themselves.

NastyMrTom, Croydon says...
3:04pm Tue 23 Sep 08

whoops .. double post ... I got all excited

NastyMrTom, Croydon says...
3:10pm Tue 23 Sep 08

ANNE GILES wrote:
I'm just goin' to mosey along the old trail to do some cotton pickin'.
Are these comments funny Anne ?
Belittling someone by using racial stereotypes isn't the most informed of responses





ANNE GILES, SELSDON says...
3:47pm Tue 23 Sep 08

Oh, deary, deary, me. Deary, deary, deary me. Deary, deary me. Gosh - it's raining. I am now going to become suitably depressed because the sun isn't shining. I shall blame Croydon.

reality-bites, London says...
9:19pm Tue 23 Sep 08

Anne, don't you mean oh dreary dreary me! And Tom, the times online archive is excellent as is BBC archives and births and deaths. no mention in any of a Croydon knife murder in 1983!


Another one for you to research, if capable:
How many murders in England in 1979 and how many in 2007?

Another shocking stat for you make P.C. excuses for!


Remember the Alamo, San Antonio says...
11:32pm Tue 23 Sep 08

NastyMrTom wrote:
ANNE GILES wrote:I'm just goin' to mosey along the old trail to do some cotton pickin'.Are these comments funny Anne ? Belittling someone by using racial stereotypes isn't the most informed of responses
Dont worry about it partner...she isnt really bothering me...I find it funny because it is so ignorant, and I have yet to ever met a fellow Texan that could be made to think less about himself because he is a Texan. It just doesnt happen. I do find it disturbing that she claims to be an educator. With all the different races yall have over there, I can only imagine what she says/teaches others about them.

ANNE GILES, SELSDON says...
10:31am Wed 24 Sep 08

Forecast seems to be rain again. Grey sky. I am ringing my hands and tearing my hair now - like some lady in deep despair. It's all Croydon's fault. Oh, woe!!!
It must be very hard to be negative all the time. I wonder how some people manage it??

ohdearyme, Hinchley Wood says...
11:13am Wed 24 Sep 08

ANNE GILES wrote:
Oh, deary, deary, me. Deary, deary, deary me. Deary, deary me. Gosh - it's raining. I am now going to become suitably depressed because the sun isn't shining. I shall blame Croydon.
Did you want me for something?
haha!

ANNE GILES, SELSDON says...
1:11pm Wed 24 Sep 08

Yes - I obviously did want you - I must like your sense of humour!:) I get tired of one or two people who seem to be permanently negative and/or angry. I've been in considerable pain since beginning of this month and I am still managing to smile. Some people need surgery to make them smile - a stretching of the lips operation or something.

NastyMrTom, Croydon says...
2:08pm Wed 24 Sep 08

reality-bites wrote:
Anne, don't you mean oh dreary dreary me! And Tom, the times online archive is excellent as is BBC archives and births and deaths. no mention in any of a Croydon knife murder in 1983!Another one for you to research, if capable:How many murders in England in 1979 and how many in 2007?Another shocking stat for you make P.C. excuses for!

are you seriously quoting 'statistics' taken from you scanning the archives of the BBC & Times .... you're an idiot


ANNE GILES, SELSDON says...
2:39pm Wed 24 Sep 08

You can't solve crimes with statistics - so what's the point of spending hours looking them up?? Start up your own Neighbourhood Watch instead.

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