Colchester Hythe gang target 12-year-old youngster

MJ Kinsella was walking to his friend’s house in the Hythe, Colchester, when a gang of three hooded teenagers approached him at about 4.40pm on Friday.

The 12-year-old said one of the thugs flashed a large knife with a rugged edge, which was tucked into his waistband, at him near Hythe railway station.

The keen gymnast managed to flee from the dangerous situation and informed his mum Lauren Redpath what had happened.

Frightening - the incident took place near Hythe railway station (Image: Newsquest)

“It makes me feel so scared to let him out because if he just said the wrong thing he could genuinely have been stabbed,” said the 36-year-old.

“I think these kids were just looking for a row. One lifted his waistband up and flashed this knife at Michael.

“It is terrible and I don’t know why these kids, why a lot of the teenage community, seem to think they can do what they want.”

The harrowing incident came just one day after the 15th anniversary of the murder of 16-year-old Ben Kinsella, MJ’s cousin, in north London.

Murdered - Ben Kinsella was stabbed to death by three attackers in north London in June 2008 (Image: Family handout)

Ben was stabbed to death after celebrating his GCSE results in an attack by three men who wanted revenge for an altercation he was not involved in.

Juress Kika, 19, Jade Braithwaite, 18, and Michael Alleyne, 20, were charged with Ben's murder and sentenced to life with a minimum of 19 years.

Ms Redpath said she feels knife crime is becoming “more of a reoccurring issue” than it was 15 years ago.

She said: “You never think something like that is going to happen to you but you just never know.

“There are so many kids carrying weapons these days and going up to people, picking on them because they want a row.

“They clearly want to scare people and it is so scary this is happening in Colchester.

“There is definitely an issue but it is one which no one seems to want to deal with.”