Brutal beast arrested?

ELN: She is 16 years old. She was on her way to college. She realised she had forgotten her phone and popped home to get it – and then got back on her way. If the next thing that happened was that she was viciously punched from behind, in an unprovoked attack… you would think we were describing the opening scene of some violent new movie.

But this is what happened to a young woman at 12.30pm on Tuesday, 13th November in the East End’s own Plaistow High Street, near the Black Lion pub – in broad daylight.

One piece of luck in this dreadful story is that the assault was captured on CCTV. The footage shows the assailant running up behind the young woman and hurling a powerful punch at her back, which knocked her to the ground.  The assailant then turns and walks off towards Green Gate Street, while the victim is left on the ground, unconscious.  It seems that he had been following her since she left home, having collected that forgotten mobile phone.

The innocent victim (who understandably wished to remain anonymous) spoke to ITV’s London Tonight programme. She explained that she was walking along the pavement, and the next thing that she knew was that she was in an ambulance. She suffered painful cuts and bruises and chipped teeth – and was lucky not to have been much more badly hurt. She was also shocked by the attack and is now frightened to go out alone. She generously thought of others, however, and expressed her hope that the brutal thug would be caught before he did this to anyone else.

Detective Superintendent Helen Millichap, of Newham Police, said that the attack seemed to be without a motive and she had never seen such a brutal attack taking place in broad daylight.

The police have released the CCTV footage of the assault because a relatively clear image of the attacker is visible – and the police want help from the public to identify him.  ELN has made this footage available in the video section of our home page (though we do warn you that it is disturbing to watch).  They are already following up several leads.

The police described the suspect as a black male, aged between 25 and 30, who is around 6ft tall and of muscular build. His head was shaved.  He was wearing a baseball jacket and jeans.  It is possible that he was under the influence of drugs.

Can you help find the Beast of the East? If you were a witness to the attack, or if you can identify the attacker, call:
Newham Violent Crime Unit – 020 8217 5890; or
Crimestoppers – 0800 555111 (you can remain anonymous).
When calling, please quote reference S/194/12.

STOP PRESS:
A man has now been arrested in connection with the above assault.  Police have revealed that he is aged 34 and is in custody at an East London police station.