Teenagers accused of pelting disabled woman with flour and eggs ‘are under police protection’

A group of teenage boys accused of pelting a disabled woman with flour and eggs are under police protection, it has been reported.

The alleged attack on the woman in her 40s took place in Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk, on Friday, and an image of the boys smiling behind her was widely shared on social media.

Four teens can be seen smirking above the woman, who is seen sitting on a park beach covered in flour and eggs.

Two 17-year-old males and two 15-year-old boys were arrested in connection with the incident and released on bail. A fifth person – a 15-year-old boy – was later arrested and also bailed.

A sixth boy was questioned under caution, police said.

The parents of the boys say they have been identified online and their names have been leaked, leading them to seek police protection.

A mother of one of the boys, who is about to celebrate his 16th birthday, told Mail Online: “We can’t say anything about what went on over the weekend but my son’s name has been leaked over the internet and we’ve had threats.

“I’ve reported the abuse to police and we are now under their protection. If anyone comes to our home to cause problems, we have a number we can call which will get the police here straight away.

“This isn’t what we need. It’s my son’s 16th birthday and we’ve got family here for his party.”

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The father of another boy told Mail Online he took his son to police to confess what he had done.

“He told me what he had done and I told him that it was an idiotic thing to do,” said his father.

“I marched him straight down to the local police station and made him tell the officers what had happened.

“He didn’t throw any of the flour or eggs on that woman, he just joined the others in posing for the photograph.

“There’s no way he’s going out for the next few weeks unless I’m with him – both to keep an eye on him and to make sure he is safe from people who want to take revenge.

“There’s been death threats made against him online and we’ve told the police about it. He’s at home at the moment and that’s where he’s staying.”

The stepmother of one of the 17-year-olds accused told Mail Online: “He’s not a tearaway – he’s just been a stupid boy’.

“He’s never been in any major bother before but this is serious. His dad won’t say anything about it because the police have asked him not to but he’s upset.

“I don’t know why the lad got involved. As far as I know he just took the photo. I don’t know anything about him throwing the eggs and flour.

“But he should have had nothing to do with it in the first place.”

Meanwhile, the woman who was allegedly attacked said: “I don’t consider it acceptable but I don’t particularly want to escalate the current tension in the area.

“I’ve got to be careful with how I deal with things obviously. People have rallied round me.”