Man chased off Croydon tram by angry mob after taking photo of child
A man was chased from a tram by an angry mob, punched in the
face and left with a broken jaw after passengers thought he
took a photo of two children.
The mini-riot broke out at Waddon Marsh tram stop when
Dimitri Petrov, in his early 20s, was called a paedophile after
taking a photo.
After he was chased on to the track he was punched by
Terrence Crawford, 18, who broke his jaw.
Crawford pleaded guilty to causing grievous bodily harm at
Croydon Crown Court on Friday where CCTV of the incident was
played.
John Gardner, prosecuting, said that Mr Petrov was on a tram
travelling from Croydon when it happened.
He said: “There were a couple of children on board and some
passengers seemed to think he had taken a picture of one of
them on his mobile.
“He later admitted he had taken a picture of a child.
“The word 'paedophile' was bandied about.”
A number of youths started to hit him as he was chased off
the tram at Waddon Marsh.
Mr Gardener said: “He found himself still being confronted
and he took some form of sanctuary on the rails.
“He stood in front of the tram and he started throwing
stones at those pursuing him.
“Crawford walked towards him and, in a haymaker movement, he
punched Mr Petrov in the face.
“Mr Petrov fell to the ground, and Crawford also fell
over.”
An off-duty police officer who had been on the tram was
later able to identify Crawford and he was arrested in March
this year.
“His explanation for what he did was that one of the stones
had hit his friend on the head”, Mr Gardener said.
Mr Petrov was taken to Mayday Hospital, where an operation
was carried out and he was discharged the following day.
Mr Gardner said police had decided there should be no
proceedings against Mr Petrov.
Sean Horstead ,defending, said the punch by Crawford had had
nothing to do with the picture-taking incident on the tram, and
was no more than a reaction to his friend being hurt by a stone
thrown by Mr Petrov.
Imposing a community order involving 180 hours unpaid work,
Recorder Elizabeth Laing told Crawford, of Belgrave Walk,
Mitcham: “This was an unprovoked attack.
“Mr Petrov must have been terrified. He was very badly
hurt.”
Crawford will also have to pay £500 compensation to his
victim.
22 Comments
View all
by Stuart, Edinburgh, previously Essex
Thursday, August 07 2008, 11:33PM
“I think that the world has gone truly mad.
If you wish to protect your children then the first thing you need to do is to get them off the roads. They are far more likely to be killed by traffic than harmed by any paedophile.
After that, you might want to check if they are carrying knives. They are much more likely to kill each other than be harmed by any paedophile.
Finally; if you really want to be sure then you might want to keep an eye on your brothers, sisters, and each other. Most paedophiles are close relatives or friends to their victims.
Photography is becoming a dangerous art-form these days. Eventually, at this rate, it will be banned completely. Then the world will be a much darker place to be.”
by JEE, Croydon
Wednesday, August 06 2008, 7:06PM
“It isn't illegal to take a photograph of anything or anyone in public. Thats the law. Does anyone object about their photo being taken by CCTV cameras? Who's looking at those photos?”
by Constantine, Zimbabwe
Tuesday, August 05 2008, 4:43PM
“well a bit touched by the man's case but i think we people have got a problem with one thing that is learning to know the truth why beat the man up if he did not lay a hand on the kids well just because somone didn't like the looks on the guys face did not mean to have the power to beat him. well look what is more valuable and worthy somone's jaw or just someone who just had a hunch in his crazy head going on may be the guy was going through a lot of stress and he decided to take it up on the fella. well there is one very hard job that if we are to succeed must first master. It is the simplest task one can ever be asked to do, we as human beings must learn to mind our own business. So did the guy who punched someon's jaws out of their position get an incentive well i definately do not think so and what i believe and now know about his character is that this guy is barbaric and egocentric maybe worse than Freddy or Jason. To say the least if he can not do anything about his character he should GO AND DROWN IN HIS TEA SPOON. sinning out woxevia”
by Tina, Surrey
Tuesday, August 05 2008, 12:49PM
“I can take in all the views on this page and see they are justified in their own ways - but I have to say if it was my child as the subject of the photo I would want to know why it was taken. I would not go to the extremes of attacking the photographer but would need a valid reason why the photo was taken otherwise I would request it was deleted!!”
by Mr.Angry, Purley
Tuesday, August 05 2008, 10:16AM
“Jonathan,you are right-in a perfect world.But remember if you unwelcomely surprise someone with your camera you could eventually get an unwanted surprise yourself.I consider myself a good photographer and when taking pictures I aim to ensure that strangers are not in the frame of my subjects which can detract from the overall effect and effectively 'kill' a good snap.”
by Mandy, croydon
Tuesday, August 05 2008, 9:47AM
“well there is a photographic competition on at the moment so i have been taking photographs of different areas too.I did see a man taking photographs coming up to the tram he was going around the area i then waited at th tram with my grandson and he was taking photographs sitting on a railing i did wonder what he was doing bu surmised he was taking pictures of the tram a girl then passed by and he knelt in the bushes and took a photograph of her rear so i thought.my grandson asked me what he was doing i said taking photographs of that girl.at times like this you dont want to think rude things just give him the benefit of the doubt he then passed by smiling
To be honest i did not want to think he did it deliberately excuse me for my nievity he then took a photograph of mothercare so maybe he was entering the competition.”
by More Bored, boring land
Monday, August 04 2008, 2:15PM
“deleted by moderator”
by ANNE GILES, SELSDON
Monday, August 04 2008, 12:07PM
“You are so right. This country has gone completely crackers. I only holiday abroad, not here, in order to keep away from the mob mentality. Trams are full of them, so I travel by car.”
by Jonathan, Croydon
Monday, August 04 2008, 11:22AM
“How would that make you a pervert??? Very sorry but I think some people have a one tracked mind...... When I was at college I did photography as part of my Art course, but at no time when I took pictures of children or of anyone was I accused of such things (and you have to remember that these people had no idea they were having their pictures being taken). Also, it is commen sense that a person taking a picture with a camera phone on a busy tram is hardly going to take a picture of a child for their own gratification are they!!!???
How stupid can people be. What is this country coming to!!”
by Mr J Jones, Carshalton
Monday, August 04 2008, 10:56AM
“Indeed not, Jorge.
But if it's kids, it might may you look like a pervert?”