Dad battered by gang who gatecrashed daughter's 'girly night in' when it was posted on Facebook
14:05, 26 FEB 2016
BY LUCY VARLEY
Mark Coope was hit with a bottle after he arrived at his Oldham home to find 25 youths who had seen the girly night posted on social media
Mark with daughter Shannon
A martial arts teacher was battered by a gang of drunken thugs after they gatecrashed his 14-year-old daughter’s ‘girly night in’ when it was posted on Facebook.
Company director Mark Coope, 54, had left daughter Shannon and five friends to enjoy pizza and a movie whilst he and his wife Rachel, 43, and his eldest daughter Heather, 22, went to a friend’s 60th birthday party.
But news of the ‘takeaway and chick flick’ night was posted on Facebook and a crowd of up to 25 teenage boys gatecrashed Mr Coope’s home in Oldham.
Mark was battered and left in a pool of blood
The engineering company boss - a black belt Ju-Jitsu master - rushed back home following a panic call from Shannon and ordered the yobs to leave only to be hit about the head with a bottle of vodka which had been taken from his drinks cabinet.
The thugs then fled the property leaving Mr Coope in a pool of blood.
He spent up to five hours in the Royal Oldham Hospital’s accident and emergency department where he was treated for a broken nose and various head wounds.
The youths, aged between 15 and 18, smashed up the front door, before helping themselves to Mr Coope’s collection of spirits and wines.
Shannon herself was hit in the face as she tried to stop her father being attacked.
Father of two Mr Coope, who is recovering at home, said: “If I wasn’t as strong as I am these stupid boys could have ended up facing a murder charge - given I was hit around the head with a glass bottle. I have never encountered anything like this before.
Mark, a black belt Ju-Jitsu master, was hit about the head with a bottle
“My daughter is a sensible girl and just wanted a fun, girlie night in with her best friends - but unfortunately they made a mistake by sharing it on Facebook and that information ended up in the wrong hands. Whatever some might say I don’t blame social media for what happened.
“This was all down to a lack of discipline and respect on the part of those thugs and you can’t blame Facebook for that. Youngsters should be able to share the fact that they are having a nice, care-free and fun time away from the grown ups.”
The incident occurred last week after Mr Coope - a Sensei at Samurai Ju-Jitsu Academy - left his daughter home alone for the very first time.
He added: “She was really quite ecstatic to be left home alone with her friends. She’s a sensible girl, so it was never a problem for her to invite some friends over and we trusted her completely and still do.
“I didn’t know much about what was going on, except she told me we needed to get home immediately. She then explained that a gang had broken into the house and were refusing to leave. She also told me that they had been helping themselves to my alcohol, which infuriated me. How dare they?
Shannon was enjoying a 'girly night in' with five friends when the gatecrashers arrived
“As soon as we pulled up, I could see a gang of lads scattered about the driveway. There were so many of them, I couldn’t even count them.
“I took two steps onto my driveway and suddenly, everything turned orange and I was on the floor. I knew that I was bleeding, because I could feel something trickling down the side of my head and onto my cheek.”
“I got up, turned to look at the lad who hit me and before I knew it, everything was orange and I was on the floor again, because somebody else had hit me from behind. I quickly realised I’d been glassed by my own bottle of vodka, which they’d happily helped themselves to.
“At that point, I was in survival mode. I think they were pretty shocked that after two nasty blows to the head, I’d actually gotten back onto my feet, and they quickly scarpered. But they could have killed me. I felt sick, and barely knew where I was.
“As a teacher of Ju-Jitsu I can teach people to defend themselves but there was very little anyone can do against such a cowardly attack. There was just too many of them and there was no way I could defend myself.
Mark Coope with injuries he sustained in the attack
“In hospital the doctors said they couldn’t believe I didn’t have a fractured skull. Those thugs had really laid into me, but luckily, I was fine. I can’t remember if I was smacked in the face or if I fell onto it, so I can’t explain the broken nose. I looked like the elephant man, my face was so swollen. But it could have been so much worse. I’m lucky to be alive.
“We’re not entirely sure how they found out where we lived, but we don’t blame our daughter or her friends for posting on Facebook. Why shouldn’t they post about the lovely time they’re having?
“It’s a shame that an event like this can happen so easily nowadays. An innocent, girly night in turned into bloody carnage, all because today’s yobs have no respect. They could have killed me, and they have left my daughter well and truly shaken. I doubt she’ll be in a hurry to arrange another ‘fun’ night home alone.”
A spokesman for Greater Manchester Police said: “A 54-year old man returned to his home to find a group of 20-25 youths outside in the street. A verbal altercation ensued and the man was assaulted before the offenders fled. Inquiries into the incident are ongoing.”
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