South Ealing Road Teenage Attackers Still not Caught
Youths attacked off-duty police officer last year
Police have released images of members of the teenage gang that attacked an off-duty police officer on a night bus at South Ealing Road last September.
Detective Sergeant Tim Bunkall, from Ealing Borough Police CID Unit, suffered a fractured cheekbone, a broken nose and a broken jaw during the assault. He was travelling on the Route 65 bus from Kingston at the time of the incident.
The four suspects tried to get on the bus with only two valid tickets. The driver insisted the two suspects without tickets would have to pay. All four suspects then began to argue with the driver.
The driver, knowing Mr Bunkall to be a police officer, asked for his assistance in removing the two males who did not have tickets.
The off duty officer identified himself and suggested that if the males did not have the correct tickets or means to pay they should leave the bus. The suspects then began to argue with the officer and he again asked them to leave the bus. The suspects left the bus and the officer followed.
One member of the group, who appeared to be the leader, head-butted the officer in the face. He fell to the ground, all four then kicked and punched him several times.
Another passenger attempted to assist the officer and was punched to the ground during the incident. The bus driver called for police assistance on his radio.
The gang then ran off and the officer gave chase. The leader of the gang ran back and head-butted the officer again, breaking his jaw.
The suspects then all decamped down a side road, believed to be alley-way on the east footpath of the South Ealing Road, which leads to Cherry Close, W5 in the Trees Estate.
Mr Bunkall has told press: "At that moment in time i thought this is all i need. but i didn't think it would turn violent so I willingly, almost in auto-pilot, went and helped."
Detectives believe the suspects - all described as black - are local to the area. The gang - made up of three youngsters aged about 15 and one aged about 20 - featured on BBC One's Crimewatch.
“This was appalling and callous attack. These youths have shown no regard for authority and have used substantial force against the officer. I hope the graphic nature of the recent Crimewatch reconstruction will lead to the identity and arrest of these individuals," said Detective Constable Mick King, investigating the assault.
May 3, 2007