Mugged For Mobile

THE family of a young Rustington man mugged for his mobile phone as he walked home from Littlehampton are offering a £1,000 reward to catch the three attackers.

Three black youths assaulted the 22-year-old in Southfields Road, Littlehampton, after ordering him to hand over his mobile phone and wallet.

He was beaten with a walking stick, punched to the ground and kicked repeatedly in the face.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

The victim's injuries included a badly swollen and cut chin, needing eight stitches, a black eye and bruising to his legs.

His father told the Gazette: "We moved down here from London when my son was a baby because we thought it would be safer and more peaceful.

"But this is a replica of what has been happening in London, and I am so incensed that this should have happened down here and just for the sake of taking a mobile phone off a young lad. He is a very quiet, inoffensive young man and he's still quite shaken up by it."

Tougher sentences announced by Home Secretary David Blunkett on Tuesday, for persistent young offenders, particularly for street crime, were welcomed by the victim's father.

"It is time to stop this kind of crime," he said.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Police are investigating a possible link with another assault, on a train passenger between Littlehampton and Worthing the previous day.

CCTV film footage from Littlehampton town centre and railway station, and a station in the London area, is being studied by officers.

The attack in Southfields Road was at 3.05am on Thursday, April 4, but police have released details of the incident only this week.

The three attackers were aged between 18 and 25. Two were around 5ft 10in to 5ft 11in tall; the third was taller and was wearing shoes with a thick tread. All three were dressed in dark clothing.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

After taking the man's mobile phone and wallet, they made off along Southfields Road towards the General Henry pub in Horsham Road.

Det Con Rob Rollins, who is investigating the case, said CCTV footage from Arundel Road, Littlehampton, showed a group of six black youths walking towards the town centre at around 8am on April 3, the day before the Southfields Road attack.

A similar group was seen arriving shortly afterwards at Littlehampton railway station and later in the day at a station in the London area.

The train assault was on a Littlehampton to Worthing service just after 8am.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Said Det Con Rollins: "It's unusual to see a group of six black youths in Littlehampton. Were they visiting someone here? And where had they been earlier in the evening before the Southfields Road assault?"

Anyone with information should contact Det Con Rollins on 0845 60 70 999, ext 81503.