Thug uses crutch to beat shopkeeper targeted by gang

A shopkeeper was left with a gaping head wound after being beaten with a crutch by a youth in a busy north London street.

Exclusive CCTV footage obtained by the Evening Standard shows an eight-strong gang of boys, one of them apparently as young as eight or nine, demanding Knadia Suthakran keep his convenience store open as he was closing for the night in Junction Road, Archway, Islington.

When he refused, one of the older boys — who police believe was aged between 12 and 15 — swung a crutch around 360 degrees and struck the father of two with such force it left him staggering up the road for help.

Mr Suthakran, 43, said: “It left a painful gash in my forehead. I suffer headaches every day and I’m nervous now.”

He needed seven stitches and was left with a deep, two-inch scar which is still visible six weeks on. He says he is so traumatised he may sell the business.

It comes as the Tories promise to mend “broken Britain”, with Labour and the Lib-Dems both pledging to give communities more power to crack down on yobs.

Raids on shops and other businesses in Islington have soared nearly 40 per cent in the past year. Anyone with information about the Archway attack is asked to contact Islington CID on 020 7421 0350.

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