A teenager was lured to a canal by a girl and viciously attacked by a gang of bullies.
Charlie Wilkes was attacked by at least 10 teenagers after arranging to meet a girl over text.
The gang repeatedly punched and kicked Charlie while he tried to protect himself.
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Sickeningly, one person egged the thugs on to throw the schoolboy in the canal.
A brutal video of the attack was posted online and Charlie’s dad Jimmy, 42 and stepmum Paige, 34, are sharing the clip in a bid to find the thugs.
“What happened to Charlie is unreal,” Paige, from Kidderminster, Worcestershire, told Need to Know.
“They wanted to get him into the canal. There’s all sorts in the canal he could have got stuck on.
“Jimmy hasn’t been able to watch the video at all, I’ve had to do it. It’s disgusting.”
“Last month, Charlie was seeing a girl for a couple of weeks and he dumped her and she started spreading rumours about him.
“On the day of the attack, he was messaging a girl as friends and went to meet her.
“About 10 boys, half wearing balaclavas, half not, came around the corner.
“They were trying to drag him along the canal to a park but he stood his ground and said he wasn’t going then they all just laid into him.
“Eventually, they all stopped and ran off.”
Full time carer Paige and carpenter Jimmy took Charlie to A&E where he had a CT scan as medics suspected he had a skull fracture.
Paige said: “He came back to us, he was in shock, panting, bruised and scraped.
“I was crying and I was disgusted.
“Jimmy got straight on the phone to the police but my concern was to get him checked at hospital.
“He had one pupil bigger than the other, there was swelling round the ear indicating a skull fracture.
“The CT scan said he was heavily concussed and they said that was lucky.
“How is it lucky that he’s just concussed? Its not lucky.”
The assault happened on 27 April in Kidderminster, and Jimmy reported it to West Mercia Police.
Days later, they found the video circulating online.
Paige said: “The video was circulating around schools and I had to pull my other children out.
“Luckily, they took a video. Idiots.
“They’re boasting. It’s like they were untouchable.
“They’re not just videoing and sharing around the people who did it, they shared it everywhere.
“They clearly don’t care for consequences.
“Charlie could have died and nobody called for help.”
The couple say they have no choice but to move out of the area to protect Charlie and have set up a fundraiser to help.
Paige said: “I’m doing everything I can to get my family out of the area. We have to move. Charlie can’t go out.
“If he goes out, it will happen again.
“What will it take for people to take it seriously? Does he have to die?
“What do I do? Keep them in forever? It’s not fair.
“I’m scared to let them out. I’ve got the kids locations on my phone and I’m having to tell them off for going to the shops.
“I seem harsh but I have to keep them safe.
“We just want to live a peaceful happy life.
“My kids should be allowed out with friends.
“I’m having to fundraise to get out of the area because we can’t be around this constantly.”
A West Mercia spokesperson said: “We’re aware of a video circulating on social media of an assault on the canal tow path in Kidderminster.
“The assault happened at around 5pm on Sunday (27 April) on the canal tow path behind Carters Furniture Centre.
“The victim, a 15-year-old boy, was assaulted by a group of youths who also damaged his mobile phone.
“We’d like to hear from anyone who was in the area at the time and may have witnessed the assault or has any information which may help with our enquiries.
Anyone with information is asked to contact the local policing team on [email protected].”
To donate, go to: Help this beautiful family., organised by JENNIFER EDWARDS
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