Four men and one woman arrested over 'terrifying' gang attack on two schoolboys in Sunderland

Two teenage boys have been left terrified after they were attacked by a gang of adults in Sunderland city centre.
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The two boys, aged 15 and 16, had met for a socially distanced walk on Saturday afternoon (February 20) before one bought a takeaway for his tea.

The pair were approached by the gang at the entrance to the council multi-storey car park, near Park Lane Interchange, while sheltering from the rain at around 7.30pm.

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A man stole the 15-year-old’s food and when the victim objected the offender threw it at him and made off with his backpack, which had the victim’s mobile phone inside.

Two boys were assaulted on Saturday, February 20Two boys were assaulted on Saturday, February 20
Two boys were assaulted on Saturday, February 20

When they teenagers asked for it back they were attacked.

Jo Lawrence, a mum of one of the injured boys, said: “The main perpetrator then attacked my son’s friend (age 15), with one of the others throwing a large rock off his head, hitting and splitting his eyebrow.

"He then knocked him to the ground, punching him repeatedly and pushing him down the stairs in a sustained assault.

"My son, Gabriel, was terrified for his friend and tried to get him off, he then turned on him and punched him repeatedly about the head. The rest of the gang were egging him on and laughing.”

The boys were first approached by the gang near the council's multi-storey car park.The boys were first approached by the gang near the council's multi-storey car park.
The boys were first approached by the gang near the council's multi-storey car park.
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The gang then left them on the ground and the schoolboys were able to call the police who arrested five suspects matching their description.

Northumbria Police has confirmed four men, aged 26, 30, 31 and 32, and a 36-year-old woman were arrested in connection with the incident.

“I felt physically sick when he told me what had happened,” said Jo, a 48-year-old psychotherapist. “He’s not supposed to go into town as I’m already cautious about that area – I have an older daughter who I’ve had to pick up from the interchange before because she’s been harassed.

"It’s a dangerous area to be around.

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"It was absolutely awful but not unexpected I’m sad to say.

"It’s not just to get that call but you expect it to be a teenage group. For a group of adults to be picking on two young people who are, in the eyes of the law, children – it's terrifying.

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“I can’t thank the security guard and cleaner at the bus station enough for standing with them.”

She added: “My son hadn’t been out since last March, and as he has asperger’s and dyspraxia. He isn’t the most confident at the best of times and this has really shaken him.”

Although the pair didn’t need hospital treatment, 16-year-old Gabriel has injuries to the side of his head and jaw and his friend, suffered facial bruising and cuts.

A Northumbria Police spokesman said: “Officers were deployed to the scene and swiftly located four men and a woman who matched the description given by the victims.

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“They were all arrested on suspicion of robbery and taken into custody. They have since been released on police bail with an investigation ongoing into the incident.

“The boys – aged 15 and 16 – did not require hospital treatment but were left shaken by the incident.”

Anyone with information should contact police via the ‘Tell Us Something’ page or by calling 101 quoting log 1089 200221.

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