A 13-year-old kid was left in a coma and with brain damage after a bully assaulted him in a ‘happy slap’ attack at school.
Tommy Allery was filmed by another student as he was beaten up in a corridor at his school in Hertfordshire.
In the disturbing footage, Tommy is hit in the temple before collapsing- suffering a seizure caused by a bleed on the brain.
As the school said the case was ‘non-urgent’, it took over 30 minutes before an ambulance reached the school and took him to Watford General Hospital, The Sun reports.
Tommy Allery lying in coma after school corridor 'happy slapping' attack: Tommy Allery, 13, was filmed by fou… https://t.co/siLkp1SATX
— Stella Pollard (@breakingnews_90) June 3, 2016
Once he was stabilised, he was sent to Great Ormond Street Hospital’s neurosurgery unit for further life-saving operations and remained in a coma for 12 days.
Speaking to The Sun, his dad John Allery, said:
It was the hardest thing I’ve ever had to see. I just burst into tears when I saw him in the recovery room, I couldn’t handle it. His mum stayed by his side the whole time, I don’t know how she did it. She was so strong.
After he was moved to Great Ormond Street, Tommy had five more operations and was twice declared dead.
Tommy, will now never be able to drive, fly, or play his favourite sports ever again.
Tommy Allery lying in coma after school corridor 'happy slapping' attack | Daily Mail Online https://t.co/bBtZbEKC3a
— watcher_machine (@banawedata) June 3, 2016
His mother, Clo Marques, said:
I’m never going to get my Tommy back. I’ve got this new Tommy, but not my old one. I miss him so much. He’s f****d. I’m sorry to swear, but he is. He can’t remember if he’s had a good day, what he had for breakfast. I know he’ll never be the same Tommy he was. He should be out chasing girls but he’s just at home in bed all day. It’s ruined the best years of his life.
Tommy’s attacker – who cannot be named for legal reasons – admitted GBH at St Albans Youth Court on May 4th.
People have reacted on Twitter as you’d expect to this horrific situation:
Happy slapping with your mates was funny. Getting your Nokia teardrop phone and getting 10 of your mates to slap one person was bullying
— #ForTheManyNotTheFew (@GlintofSilver) June 3, 2016
This should b shown 2 all bullies ? #attack Boy, 13, lying in coma after school corridor 'happy slapping' attack
https://t.co/5zsjfd4BJc— Heidi (@HeidiTweetz) June 3, 2016
It's not 'Happy Slapping' is it, please stop perpetuating this myth.
It's bullying, it's assault & battery it's ABH.— Tadpole No 3 (@tadpoleno3) June 3, 2016
We wish Tommy and his family well during his road to recovery.