Teenager pushed off pier in 'happy slapping' incident

A 15-year-old boy was pushed off a pier during a “happy slapping” incident in Bangor, it has emerged.

The teenager had been playing with a ball near Bangor marina when he was attacked from behind and shoved off the pier by a group of drunken youths whilst the attack was recorded on mobile phones.

His mother said: “Next time it could be death”.

An assembly member said the police and council were currently working together to tackle under-age drinking. Bangor marina is a designated drink-free area.

The teenager told the BBC: “Me and my friend were just playing with the ball on the pier and the ball went in the water.

"I was just looking over the pier and I didn't realise there was anyone behind me and I just got suddenly pushed in from behind.

"It was low tide and there was a big drop. Whenever I was coming back up, they had their cameras out and they were videoing it.

"Then the police came down. They didn't take the drink off them. They told them to go away but the drunk ones came back again and kept on drinking."

The father of the boy said he phoned the police, but did not make an official complaint as he felt it would have been “pointless”.

He said: "The evidence, as it shows at the moment, is that the police are patrolling these areas.

"We have seen the police on patrol in these areas, but it doesn't seem to be deterring people from using these public areas as a drinking ground.

"The signs don't mean anything, the fines don't mean anything."

(JM/KMcA)