An off-duty police officer was slashed on the nose after intervening in a frenzied attack involving a ten-strong mob at a south Essex train station.
PC Philip Price, of Rochford, was attacked with a crushed beer can as he stepped in to rescue a detective and another man from the gang.
The brave 26-year-old received ten stitches to his split nose and nostril following the attack at Billericay railway station.
The Metropolitan detective sergeant, also off-duty and the third man, suffered cuts and bruises after they too confronted the group of men, aged 18 to 20.
The fight broke out as the rampaging youths left the Liverpool Street to Southend train at Billericay, just after midnight.
One had urinated on a male passenger as he slept on the train, after they got on at Shenfield minutes earlier.
Mr Price, a father-of-one who lives with his girlfriend in Rochford, was travelling home on the train after finishing his shift in Romford.
He said: "They were just drunken yobs. They were being anti-social and there was no need for it at all. Their behaviour was totally unacceptable."
Three of the gang were arrested and released on bail until January 16.
Published Wednesday December 17, 2003
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereComments are closed on this article