Gang brag about attack on internet

11:00pm Sunday 25th March 2007

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Sickening images have been brazenly posted on the internet by a teenage gang bragging about their violent behaviour.

They are part of a CCTV video of a vicious fight outside Churchill Square in Brighton to which the gang have added a rap soundtrack and a title sequence insulting the police and proudly claiming credit for the crimes.

In the three minutes of footage one hoodie can be seen attacking a group of teenagers with a flurry of punches. His gang then throw one of their victims to the floor and repeatedly kick him and stamp on his head.

The incident is yet another example of the growing presence of youth crime in Sussex. More than 10,000 ten to 17 year olds were arrested in the county last year.

It is not yet known how this gang of thugs were able to access the video, which was shot by a police CCTV camera.

A Sussex Police spokesman said yesterday that footage would not normally go outside the force.

He said: "We are investigating the way the video has been made public."

However, he added that if the prosecuting lawyers planned to use footage as evidence in court they were obliged to give access to the defence.

The video is one of a series of three posted on the Bebo and YouTube websites by someone with the username "Moulsboi". It is tagged with the words Moulsecoomb and Whitehawk, spelt incorrectly.

Each shows the disturbing and aggressive behaviour of the group, who call themselves Yung Ofenderz.

One of the videos had been reported to Sussex Police and was under investigation before the fight at Churchill Square took place.

All three videos were posted during February half term. One has been categorised as entertainment.

In the first, posted on February 11, the group of more than a dozen teenagers can be seen jumping up and down in the top floor of a bus chanting abuse.

The notes with the video, written in American-style gangsta rap slang, say the gang are on their way to town to "smash up emos and goths and any1 else who get in our way".

The Argus recently reported that Churchill Square is a regular hang-out for "emos", ordinarily peaceful teenagers who like emotional rock music.

In the second video the gang are again seen chanting abuse and drinking at Moulsecoomb railway station before aggressively surrounding a waiting member of the public.

Moulsboi claims in his notes that one of the gang later "bashed" the passenger and invites people to email him for the full footage.

The fight at Churchill Square, which took place at 7.45pm on Valentine's Day, February 14, is shown in the third video. The song Jus A Rascal by rapper Dizzee Rascal has been added as a soundtrack.

In the footage two groups of teens can be seen coming together by the steps close to Borders bookshop.

A shortish figure dressed in a grey hooded tracksuit can be seen at the edge of the group. He signals to his friends to put up the hoods on their tops before charging into the group throwing punches and kicks.

One victim is dragged to the ground and beaten, kicked and stamped on by members of his gang.

The hoodie then emerges and is given congratulatory hugs by his friends before the gang run away together.

Sussex Police said three people had been arrested following the fight and at least one had been charged and was expected to appear in court.

Brighton Pavilion MP David Lepper said he was disgusted at the actions of the gang.

He said: "They should throw the book at whoever has done this. I almost can't believe they have done it.

"It is not my place to say if anyone is guilty of violence. What they are clearly guilty of is making entertainment out of antisocial behaviour. It is disgraceful."

On a visit to Brighton and Hove in January, Prime Minister Tony Blair declared the city a Respect area, promising funding for projects to tackle antisocial behaviour. The city council will receive £400,000 for the work over the next two years.

YouTube and Bebo were unavailable to comment on the video yesterday.

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