Mother rages at 'slap attackers'

Becky's brother was shown the video by pupils at his school

A mother has hit out at a gang of youths who beat up her teenage daughter and filmed it on a mobile phone.

Becky Smith, 16, was knocked out and suffered temporary paralysis when she was attacked by fellow school pupils near her home in Blackley, Manchester.

The youths recorded the attack on a mobile video phone - a craze known as "happy slapping."

The video has now been circulated around Becky's school and was also seen by her brother Craig, 13.

Someone needs to stop this video being shown Georgina Smith

Becky's mother, Georgina Smith, said: "This is absolutely horrendous. She was jumped from behind by another girl and five boys looked on and videoed it.

"Becky was rushed to hospital unconscious. They could have killed her. We are very lucky she is alive.

"But she will not go back to school because she is terrified, and now everyone has seen the video.

"By the following day the whole school knew about it."

Becky, who is taking her GCSEs - starting next Wednesday - was attacked at the junction of Fortrose Avenue and Sandyhill Road in Blackley on 9 May.

'Very serious crime'

The schoolgirl suffered serious head injuries and spent two days at North Manchester General Hospital.

Her brother Craig was later shown the video clip by another pupil at Plant Hill High School in Blackley.

Mrs Smith said: "Someone needs to stop this video being shown. The school should get rid of video phones, or are they going to wait until someone has been murdered before they take the phones off the kids?"

A spokesman for the school said: "This is a police matter which happened outside school."

Greater Manchester Police have confirmed they are investigating the incident.

Norman Brennan, Director of The Victims of Crime Trust, said such assaults had to be taken seriously.

"This is not a bit of fun. It is a very serious crime. People can die from one punch," he said.