'Happy slapping' craze sparks call to restrict camera phone sales
The mother of a teenage “happy slapping” victim today called for the sale of camera-phones to juveniles to be restricted in a bid to curb the bizarre craze.
The woman – whose 15-year-old daughter suffered a perforated eardrum and two loose teeth in the attack by up to five other children in Britain – said her school had done everything it could to deal with the problem.
Speaking on BBC WM radio, the mother said: “My daughter was walking home from school and they chased her and attacked her, they were kicking her in the head. She was very shaken up and they were videoing the attack.
“The school couldn’t have done more. They have bent over backwards to help my daughter, the police and to help me.”
But the woman, who has asked not to be named, added: “Some children think [happy slapping] is just a pastime and there should be some kind of age limit - like there is with cigarettes and alcohol – to govern this kind of technology.”
It is understood that two girls at Colton Hills School have been suspended in connection with the incident.
The school’s headteacher, Ken Byatt, told the Wolverhampton Express and Star that such attacks would not be tolerated.
Mr Byatt said: “The girl was the victim of a totally unprovoked attack. We managed to get the video onto a teacher’s phone and it has been given to the police.”
A West Midlands Police spokeswoman confirmed that the force was investigating a total of three incidents which took place in Rosemary Crescent West last Monday.
“No one has been arrested and investigations are on-going,” the spokeswoman added.
