A TEENAGER has been left with partial vision in one eye after being assaulted by a youngster in a York village. Dale Taylor, 17, said he was followed by a gang of about ten youths in Copmanthorpe before a 14-year-old boy punched him and kicked him in the face near the village shops.

He was taken by ambulance to hospital and has suffered bruising to his face, partial loss of vision in his right eye, loose teeth and an injury to his jaw.

The assault is the latest in a string of incidents related to anti-social behaviour in the Copmanthorpe area, which is thought to be related to gangs of youths drinking alcohol.

Dale, a York College student, said he had been determined not to be caught up in a fight. He said: “My first instinct was not to say anything and just to carry on walking. I carried on and he pushed me in a bush.

“I pushed him away to get out of the bush. He punched me in the head, dropped me and kicked me in the head.

“I only had one choice and that was to take the punches. I knew if I hit him back I would get arrested as well.”

Following the assault, a 14-year-old was arrested on Saturday and was given a verbal warning, police have confirmed.

He was released after being given a youth reprimand – a “verbal warning given by a police officer to a young person who admits they are guilty of a minor first offence”.

Dale has attended an appointment with an eye specialist at York Hospital, who told him that his vision may improve after a few weeks but, if it does not, he will have to wear corrective glasses. Dale’s mother, Karen Taylor, of Bolton Percy, said she was worried about the situation in the village and felt not enough had been done by police to punish the perpetrator of the attack.

She said she was especially concerned the teenager was alleged to have boasted about the attack afterwards and that online comments had hailed him as a “legend”.

Last month The Press revealed how police had urged parents to help control trouble-making teenagers after groups of up to 50 youths were reported to have been roaming around the Copmanthorpe area after drinking alcohol.

They are reported to have been intimidating residents, breaking fences and smashing windows.

Police have also been working with Tadcaster Grammar School, where a number of the youths are believed to be pupils.

Sgt Andy Haigh, of York Rural South Safer Neighbourhood Team, said: “We are deploying extra resources into the village when required, to conduct high-visibility patrols to deter any troublemakers. We have also worked closely with local schools to educate young people about the consequences of antisocial behaviour and have also had great assistance from the local Co-op store in not selling alcohol to minors.”