Gang took pictures of attack

A man told today how he was attacked by a gang on a London bus while an accomplice took pictures on a mobile phone.

Andrew Greenwood was asleep on the top deck after a night out in the West End when as many as five youths beat him up.

He said they took turns to punch him in the face "as if it were a game". One witness said a gang member captured the attack on his mobile phone camera - and police believe the assault may have been part of a violent craze where youths broadcast images of attacks on the internet and send them to their friends.

Mr Greenwood, who is 28 and works for Victim Support, suffered a fractured eye socket. His left eye is still closed and badly bruised and doctors fear his sight may be permanently damaged.

He said: "It's sick and disgusting people could take pleasure out of watching others suffer like that. They were bantering as though it was some kind of joke or a game.

"I am shaken up and have not been outside by myself since. It's made me very nervous about going on public transport."

Mr Greenwood was attacked on the number 176 bus at about 4am on Saturday 19 February as he returned to his East Dulwich home after celebrating a friend's birthday. He was asleep on the top deck as the bus passed through Camberwell. He said: "I remember waking and seeing four or five black youths surrounding me.

"I was trapped in my seat. One punched me in the face twice. Then they all took turns to punch me. One passenger said afterwards they recorded the whole thing on a mobile." A female passenger took Mr Greenwood to hospital. He said: "I was bleeding, dazed and confused. They didn't steal anything, they just left me there battered and bruised. There is irony in the fact I'm a Victim Support researcher. This gives me a first-hand perspective."

A police spokesman said: "A passenger claimed [the gang] used a mobile phone to record the attack. This is not confirmed. But we have had instances of this before."

Mr Greenwood said he was outraged because not one of the 12 CCTV cameras on the bus was working-"I was reassured there would be CCTV images. Then after a few days I was told by a police officer there had been a technical blip. We are told not to get into minicabs and to take 'safe' public transport. There are posters on buses saying 'Smile, you're on camera' yet I was attacked on a new, busy bus with 12 cameras - and there is no evidence to prove it."

Mark Yexley, managing director of Arriva London, which runs the 176 route, said: "Regrettably the system on this vehicle had a technical fault and images of this incident were not recorded."