Saturday 20 August 2011
Man in court over Malaysian robbed in London riots
Reece Donovan, 21, is accused of robbing Asyraf Haziq Rosli in Barking, east London, on August 8.
The suspect is accused of stealing a games console and a mobile phone from the 20-year-old accountancy student.
Asyraf was filmed being helped up after his jaw was broken in an attack in which his bicycle was stolen, only for the men who aided him to then empty his rucksack.
Footage of the incident has been viewed millions of times on the Internet.
Wearing a grey T-shirt and a blue tracksuit top, Donovan appeared at Wood Green Crown Court, north London, for a preliminary hearing.
He was remanded in custody to appear at the same court on October 10 for a plea and case management hearing.
At a press conference in London on Thursday, Asyraf doubted the incident would have happened in Malaysia.
"Our country is well-organised and the police do their job more efficiently," he said.
His mother and father, who have come to London to visit their son, thanked the British government for its help but said in a statement they hoped similar incidents would not happen again "for the sake of everyone's safety."
Shocked members of the public have raised more than £22,000 for the student through an online fund. He has said that despite the riots, he wants to stay in England for the rest of his two-year course.
Besides Donovan, police have also issued an image of another man they want to question about the incident.
Copyright © 2011 AFP. All rights reserved
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