Croydon asylum seeker attack: Five appear in court charged with violent disorder
Kurdish Iranian Reker Ahmed, 17, was chased and subjected to what police described as a 'brutal attack'
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Your support makes all the difference.Five people, including two sets of siblings, have appeared in court charged with violent disorder following a suspected hate crime which left a teenage asylum seeker fighting for his life.
Kurdish Iranian Reker Ahmed, 17, was chased and subjected to what police described as a "brutal attack" after a group of people discovered he was an asylum seeker.
Detective Superintendent Jane Corrigan said said he was "starting to make a recovery", but "obviously he is going to be scarred for life as a result of the beating he sustained."
She said: "His face did receive some significant injuries, that was the main focus of the attack. But what I can say is that without a doubt this will leave lasting scars."
She added that the incident was being treated as a hate crime.
"I think this was probably confidence by numbers," she said. "It started off with this smaller group of people who were joined by between 20 to 30 and they just viciously attacked these individuals because they were asylum seekers."
Detectives are continuing efforts to trace the victim's family, who are believed to live Iran
They have also released images of three people they wish to identify and question in connection with the crime.
Daryl Davis, 20, Danyelle Davis, 24, Barry Potts, 20, George Walder, 20, and Jack Walder, 24, all from Croydon, south London, have all been charged with violent disorder.
George Walder has also been also charged with racially aggravated grievous bodily harm.
Appearing in Croydon Magistrates' Court, they spoke only to confirm their names, dates of birth, and addresses during the short hearing at on Monday afternoon.
Potts, Jack Walder and siblings Danyelle and Daryl Davis were released on conditional bail.
George Walder was remanded in custody.
Deputy District Judge Richard Hawgood sent the case for trial at Croydon Crown Court, where the five defendants will appear for a plea and trial preparation hearing on 1 May.
Two other people have been charged in connection with the attack.
Kyran Evans, 23, and a 17-year-old girl, both from the Croydon area, are charged with violent disorder.
They are due to appear at Croydon Magistrates' Court on Tuesday.