Happy slappers film attack on 13-year-old boy in Lancaster

Happy slappers filmed an attack on a schoolboy which left him looking like the '˜elephant man.'
Zak Carney was attacked in an alleyway near Farmfoods in Lancaster. Someone is believed to have filmed the assault on their mobile phone.Zak Carney was attacked in an alleyway near Farmfoods in Lancaster. Someone is believed to have filmed the assault on their mobile phone.
Zak Carney was attacked in an alleyway near Farmfoods in Lancaster. Someone is believed to have filmed the assault on their mobile phone.

Zak Carney, 13, a pupil at Our Lady’s Catholic College, was left staggering with a bust nose and lumps and bumps on his head after he was punched many times by an older boy in an alley next to Farmfoods in Lancaster.

Now his mum Tracy is appealing for the person who filmed the assault to hand the footage into the police.

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Tracy said: “I received an anonymous message taunting me saying this person knew the attack had been filmed by a school pupil.

“The video could be the only thing that gets a result from this.

“The first I knew of the assault was when I got a phone call from Zak at 3.20pm on Friday saying he had been beaten up.

“A lady had stopped whilst he was staggering around and helped him. His nose had been bust wide open and he had cuts on his forehead and lumps and bumps onhis head.He looked like the elephant man.He was taken to hospital and checked over.

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“I believe this stems from an incident in school. Zak said three boys followed him from Our Lady’s and he ducked into Farmfoods to avoid them. But then he got trapped in the alley next to the shop and was attacked.

“If we can get a picture of him being hit by the boys, I can only hope.

“Zak is still quite shaken up after what has happened and is withdrawn. Physically he is recovering but it has shaken his confidence.

“He has a description of the boy who attacked him and another man said his son was approached by a boy matching that description, It’s just so frustratingthat there is nothing we can do.

“Its horrendous that you can’t protect your ownchildren.”

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Tracy, who lives in Beaumont with son Zak, daughter Angel and husband Philip, runs a cafe in The Assembly Rooms in Lancaster.

She said: “I hope whoever did this feels some sort of remorse but maybe they need help themselves. I just want them to come forward and talk to someone about it.I would also like the person who shot the video to han d it over to the police.”

Head teacher at Our Lady’s Catholic College, Helen Seddon said: “I’m horrified to hear of an assault against Zak. Despite it being half-term the school has been liaising with the police involving the incident and in regular contact with Zak’s family. From the information we have, I am confident that the assailant is not one of our students.”

A spokesman for Lancashire police said: “A 13-year-old boy was on his way back from school and has gone onto the car park at Farmfoods on Caton Road. He has then been punched to the face and suffered brusising and swelling. The boy is thought to have been followed by three unknown youths. No arrests have been made and enquiries are ongoing.” Call police on 101.

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