VIDEO: Victim makes attack CCTV images public
A woman who was beaten and kicked in the street by a gang of young women has allowed CCTV footage of the attack to be made public.
Rhea Page said she wanted people to see the savagery of the attack on her and her partner, in Leicester's High Street, 18 months ago.
Four women avoided jail for attacking the 22-year-old and her partner.
Video edit courtesy of HotSpot Media
The case was reported in the Leicester Mercury last month, however the footage was only released this week.
Miss Page, is still suffering the emotional after-effects and is receiving counselling.
She said: "The court people asked me if I was happy for the CCTV footage to be released and I said, 'yes, I want everyone to see it'.
"It shows just how violent these women were.
"It also shows my partner defending me from them.
"Some people have said he was more forceful than he should have been.
"But if he had not been there, I think it would have been a lot worse than it was.
"I might be dead now if he hadn't done what he did, because they just kept kicking me while I was on the ground."
Miss Page, who lives in the Anstey Lane area of the city, has previously criticised the trial judge's decision to give the women suspended sentences.
The hearing at Leicester Crown Court heard the women had been drinking.
Because of their Muslim faith they were not accustomed to the effects of alcohol, their representatives told the court.
The story and the CCTV have appeared in a number of national newspapers this week.
Miss Page said: "It has had a lot of attention.
"It shows that someone can physically attack me in the street like that and only get a suspended sentence or just 150 hours of community service.
"People have gone to prison for less serious crimes."
The women all admitted actual bodily harm and received suspended sentences.
The hearing at Leicester Crown Court last month heard that one of the women, Ambaro Maxamed, started the violence and had verbally abused Miss Page.
Sisters Ambaro Maxamed (24), Ayaan Maxamed (28) and Hibo Maxamed (24), all from East Park Road, Leicester, and their cousin, Ifran Nur (28), of Gotham Street, in the city, all received six-month jail sentences, suspended for 12 months.
As well as the suspended sentence, Hibo Maxamed, who needs dialysis three times a week for a kidney complaint, received a four-month curfew between 9pm and 6am.
The others were ordered to carry out 150 hours of unpaid work.
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by Red_Ned
Tuesday, December 13 2011, 3:58PM
“Madbill - have you not understood? We do not know what the judge made his decision about sentencing on as that was not recorded but if you had read the fullfact link (here it is again for those who can't be bothered to read all the comments - http://tinyurl.com/6wx3jg4 )- you would know that it's more likely he took into consideration the amount of force used by the victim's boyfriend. The only person who mentioned religion and alcohol was one of the defendants lawyers not the judge - defendants lawyers - as anyone who has ever been in a court will know, say all kinds of things in mitigation for their clients - just because they say something doesn't mean the judge has to take any notice of it! So, no, the judge has not set a precedent in law!”
by Madbill
Monday, December 12 2011, 8:36PM
“I was brought up as a Methodist, so if and when I get arrested for drunk driving or assault whilst under the influence I will expect to get off with a warning as obviously not being use to alcohol it will not be my fault.
Is that OK Judge Brown? He has now set a precedent in law!”
by Madbill
Monday, December 12 2011, 8:29PM
“This case shows up the farce of having so called hate crimes.
All crimes against people are hateful. If I was attacked or killed, it wouldn't matter or hurt less or more if it was because of my gender, sexual orientation, religion or race!
It is obvious that in the case of the Somali girls it was a racially motivated attack and should have been prosecuted as a hate crime. The fact that it wasn't is because the victim was white.
It can be seen from all the cases designated as hate crimes that only white people can be racist! If she had been attacked for being a muslim or a lesbian, it might have been different, but if you are white, heterosexual and a non -muslim you couldn't possibly be a victim of a hate crime!
Look at the case of the muslim men in Sheffield who targeted young white girls to force them into prostitution.
The law and justice are completely different concepts in this country, The law is only there to protect vested interests, like property and the rich and powerful. It suits them not to upset any large minorities regardless of the facts.
The way the law is implemented is an affront to all decent law-abidding citizens and does the vast majority of decent muslims no favours. It only serves to encourage support for the BNP and EDL.
The Somalis should have been given a prison sentence and if they are not British citizens they should have been deported after the sentence was served."”
by davidh1967
Monday, December 12 2011, 2:08PM
“One of these girls live in Gotham Street, isn't that where the Muslim from Saffron Lane moved to, because of racist attacks. Are you sure he is safe now ?”
by Gazza429
Monday, December 12 2011, 1:53PM
“This is ABSOLUTELY DISGUSTING. Stupid girls using their faith to get away with their atrocious crime. Their defence was "we're not used to being drunk, drinking alcohol is against our religion" - THEN WHY DRINK??!!!! Sickening. They should have been thrown in jail, this is a racist attack. I just hope that muslims in general aren't condemned because of these animals, these scum do not represent the faith!!!”
by Draigfach
Monday, December 12 2011, 1:49PM
“@ruqaiyah_22 Your comment is one of the only rational and sensisble comments on this thread and I agree with you entirely. Now will everyone who is doing so PLEASE refrain from using this story as an excuse for a bit of Muslim-bashing. It really is deplorable. Yes, the sentence wsas extremely lenient but for pity's sake the last thing we need an a right-wing, hatefully racist response. I think you'll find that most TRUE Muslims abhor violence as much as anyone else.”
by Loughb
Monday, December 12 2011, 1:41PM
“@Gwen222
Personally I would not want anyone from the FMO at any EDL protests, its not because they are Muslims its because they are Affiliates of the Muslim Council of Britain (MCB).
The Muslim Council of Britain are a UK umbrella group dominated by the UK Muslim Brotherhood who support & fund Hamas a terrorist organization.
The Muslim Council of Britain also have links with Islamic Forum Of Europe (IFE), the Islamic Forum Of Europe is another Muslim Brotherhood umbrella group.
The Federation of Muslim (FMO) describes them selves as a regional umbrella body for Muslim organisations in Leicestershire & has over 180 affiliates with a brief to be the unified and reflective voice of the Muslim community in Leicestershire.
So why are the The Federation of Muslim (FMO) affiliates of the Muslim Council of Britain (MCB), This worries me.”
by Red_Ned
Monday, December 12 2011, 12:27PM
“So the EDL are trying to exploit this for their own nefarious ends? Would that be the same EDL whose leader was "let off" with a suspended sentence after headbutting one his own group?”
by Gwen222
Sunday, December 11 2011, 8:37PM
“@davidh1967
The question is would the EDL allow Mr Suleman to join their protest? The answer, I think you will find, is no.
He is a Muslim and the EDL are anti-Muslim no matter what how they may try to dress themselves up to sell their cause to the media.”
by davidh1967
Sunday, December 11 2011, 5:31PM
“Mr Suleman (Leicester Muslim federation) condems in no uncertain terms the lhe sentence given to these criminals. I wonder if he will be joining the EDL protest next month? I guess the answer to that is NO? The EDL appear to be the only group that is standing up for this country against the tentacles of Islam. The LibLabCon do nothing!”