A TEENAGER who was filmed being attacked outside the Town Markets said it was a completely unprovoked assault. Tobias Benford, 15, was taken utterly by surprise when another youth, whom he believes was aged 19, punched him full in the face.
A video of the attack, which took place on a Saturday afternoon in January, appeared on the internet video sharing site, YouTube, prompting speculation it was a happy slap attack.
‘I don’t know who was filming it,’ he said.
‘But it wasn’t a happy slap - I think it was a coincidence,’ he said yesterday.
The teenager, who works for Chemmy’s Roofing, had been with about five friends sitting outside Munchies sandwich bar.
A group of youths wearing Gothic-style clothing, whom he referred to as Emos, had gathered nearby outside the St Pierre Coffee Lounge.
‘They started giving us some hassle.
‘There was about 30 of them and they were calling us Chavs - maybe because we wear trackies.
‘I went up to one of them to ask why he was mouthing us and I suddenly got pushed from the side by some other guy. I got up and then he punched me.’
The video, which was was believed to have been recorded on a mobile phone by two youths in Market Street, showed Tobias being knocked to the floor by a vicious right-handed punch.
The sound of the blow could be heard on the film.
‘I didn’t even see the guy and I don’t know who was filming it,’ he said.
‘It didn’t hurt - it was more of a push.’
Tobias - ‘Titch’ to his friends - picked up a road sign in retaliation and approached his assailant, when passer-by Mike Ozanne intervened.
‘When I went to the floor, the first thing I saw was the road sign,’ he said.
‘I was going to rap him with it but the other guy ‘Mr Ozanne’ stopped me. He ‘the assailant’ was 19. I only used the sign because of he was older, otherwise I would have punched him.’
The intervention by Mr Ozanne prevented the fight from escalating. The youths then dispersed from the area.
‘I didn’t go to the police because it didn’t bother me,’ said Tobias.
‘If it had hurt, then I might have done. If they come to me, then I’ll go up there but until then I’m not fussed.’
Tobias’s father, Lawrence Benford, yesterday defended his son’s actions.
‘My children have been brought up to look after themselves,’ said the 67-year-old.
‘If anyone attacks them then they’ve been taught to dish out the punishment accordingly.’
However, he was also grateful to Mr Ozanne.
‘I do appreciate what he did because then Tobias would have been in more serious trouble,’ he said.
‘His friends might have leapt in and there would be one big thing in Town again.’
It was the first Tobias’s parents had heard of the assault. Mother Lesley, 42, was concerned about fights getting out of hand.
‘You worry that they’re carrying weapons.’
Mr Benford blamed boredom for increasing trouble in Town and called for higher-profile policing.
‘They spend too much time paper-pushing,’ he said. ‘There used to be more community policing round here - you just don’t see them now.’
Tobias reported growing antagonism in St Peter Port between groups from Chav and Emo subcultures.
* The clip, linked to the thisisguernsey.com site, was taken down yesterday, apparently in accordance with YouTube’s user conditions.
Article posted on 13th April, 2007 - 12.00am
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