I have often thought publicity, particularly on matters of crime, can at times have a reverse effect from that intended.

Last Saturday, I sat and watched a TV documentary about hooded yobs and their latest craze of slapping the faces of strangers, then forwarding a video of the assault over their mobile phone to mates - just for a laugh.

On Monday afternoon, I was driving near a school where I saw two such yobs, one of whom was laying into a smaller boy, slapping him about the face and head.

This concerned me so much I stopped and went back to confront the culprit, who sneeringly responded: "What's it got to do with you, I'm only having a laugh".

The victim, who appeared to be two or three years younger than his assailant, was shaken and trembling and near to tears, with bright red marks on both cheeks.

Just then, two girls of similar age to the culprit arrived at the scene.

Neither was concerned at what he had done and when I asked them his name, they replied: "Nah, we don't grass".

I took charge of the young boy until his grandmother arrived to collect him, told her what had happened and urged her to report the matter to the school.

The young lad told me the culprit is in year 11 and bullying in all its forms is a regular occurrence.

Please God he has the courage to identify his assailant to the school authorities and they don't brush the matter under the carpet because it happened off school premises.

If I was a parent, I would make sure the police were informed and charges brought.

This bully needs identifying and dealing with before the next victim he chooses to slap about "for a laugh" is a defenceless pensioner.

-name and address supplied