It seems possible this wasn't a race hate crime, not directly anyway.

The way I hear it the lad in question was in the pub (despite being 17) when an altercation broke out. Rumoured to be about gold rather bizarrely.

Instead of making himself scarce he hung around outside, which apparently wasn't wise.

I don't know the truth, only rumour. But I also don't trust the Press.

Separately I tried to find out if this large group that attacked him is some kind of local feral gang but as far as I can tell that isn't the case.

Yes you are, as usual.

Why don't you tell that to the Daily Mail and all those pillocks on the telly who said they heard he was called out due to admitting he was an asylum seeker.

I've just seen tis article in today's express - the first pictures of the young man - supposedly beaten to within an inch of his life according to all the first reports. So, how do you explain that 4 days on, there is no visible swelling to his face nor any signs of the major bruising that you would expect after such a brutal beating apparent on his arms?

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One possible answer is that the photo was taken earlier so the bruising hasn't yet developed, but swelling occurs almost instantly, and certainly within an hour.

Or an I just being cynical about some of the reporting of this?.

A stairway to Heaven and a Highway to Hell give some indication of expected traffic numbers

I read in one paper that the guy was in the pub and was having a ruckus with some other people and it spilled out onto the street and he was not stood at a bus stop minding his own business as was previously reported. It shows how different news outlets have a different idea to what we have been told?

Supported Palace for over 69 years since the age of 7 and have seen all the ups and downs and will probably see many more ups and downs before I go up to the big football club in the sky.

Are they though, based on random people phoning up or emailing them.

"One Nation Under God, has turned into One Nation Under the Influence of One Drug"
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I think you're being cynical the attack left him unconscious, with a fractured skull and spine and a blood clot on the brain

I have prepared one of my own time capsules. I have placed some rather large samples of dynamite, gunpowder and nitroglycerin. My time capsule is set to go off in the year 3000. It will show them what we are really like.