Boy, 10, taken from Edinburgh street and made to fight for life by teen knife gang

Sonny Murray had been out selling snacks in Moredun before the ordeal
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A little boy out selling macaroon bars door-to-door is recovering after he was kidnapped, dragged off the street and forced to fight while videoed by a group of baying teenage thugs.

Sonny Murray was left in fear of his life after the feral gang, armed with knives and bottles and up to a dozen strong, subjected him to a two-hour ordeal making him fight while they recorded his tearful attempts to defend himself.

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Last night the 10-year-old's mother thanked a passing dog walker who heard Sonny's screams of pain and intervened to stop the attack and save the lad from further harm.

Sonny Murray, 10, and Glenvarloch Crescent play park (Photo: Lynda Murray/Google)Sonny Murray, 10, and Glenvarloch Crescent play park (Photo: Lynda Murray/Google)
Sonny Murray, 10, and Glenvarloch Crescent play park (Photo: Lynda Murray/Google)

The Craigour Primary pupil's nightmare started when he was accosted by the group as he was selling tablet and macaroon bars door to door from his bike early on Wednesday evening near the Scotmid at Moredunpark Road just yards away from his home at Fernieside Crescent.

Attack recorded on a mobile phone

He was initially taken to the grounds of Liberton High School by the gang and made to fight another boy there, before being forced to go to a playpark at Glenvarloch Crescent, even further away from his home, where the group rained further blows on him.

The throng, which included at least two girls, recorded the disgusting attacks on a mobile phone.

Glenvarloch Crescent play park (Photo: Google)Glenvarloch Crescent play park (Photo: Google)
Glenvarloch Crescent play park (Photo: Google)
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Eyewitness Yvonne Jenkinson, 65, told the Evening News how she stepped in after hearing 'a blood-curdling scream' as she walked her German Shepherd and Staffordshire bull cross dogs near the playpark.

She said: "I heard this loud crack and he let out an almighty scream. I shouted 'oi' and the group scarpered.

"When I got to him he was screaming his lungs out and his legs just buckled. There was blood coming out of his mouth and his face was swollen.

"The two girls were standing there and I have to say I swore at them and called them cowards and bullies.

Sonny Murray, 10, was left fearing for his life during the attack (Photo: Lynda Murray)Sonny Murray, 10, was left fearing for his life during the attack (Photo: Lynda Murray)
Sonny Murray, 10, was left fearing for his life during the attack (Photo: Lynda Murray)
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"One of them said 'who,me?' but she was part of it, they both were. They were part of the group.

"He was ready to pass out, the wee mite, but he was more worried about his bike and his bag with the tablet and macaroon bars and what his mum was going to say to him.

"He told me they had threatened him with bottles and said they had knives. He must have been frightened out of his wits,"

She added: "We found his bike and they had slashed the tyres on it and taken the money out of his bag. He was so upset, but I just cuddled him and reassured him.

Sonny was taken from Moredun Park Road (A) to Liberton High School (B) before being found in Glenvarloch Crescent (C) by a member of the public, around a mile and a half away from where he was taken from. (Photo: Google)Sonny was taken from Moredun Park Road (A) to Liberton High School (B) before being found in Glenvarloch Crescent (C) by a member of the public, around a mile and a half away from where he was taken from. (Photo: Google)
Sonny was taken from Moredun Park Road (A) to Liberton High School (B) before being found in Glenvarloch Crescent (C) by a member of the public, around a mile and a half away from where he was taken from. (Photo: Google)
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"I stayed with him until the police and his mum arrived. He came back to me with his mum on Thursday afternoon with a pot plant, a box of chocolates and a card which had made himself that said 'thank you for saving me'.

"I am not a hero, I am a disabled pensioner, but I hope to God the police catch them and they go to court."

'He could be dead just now'

Sonny's mum Lynda Murray. 38, said: "If it wasn't for the woman who helped Sonny I don't know what would have happened. He could be dead just now.

"We haven't lived in the area for long, only eight months, so he had no idea where he was being taken."

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After picking him up last night and giving statements with clear and detailed descriptions of the gang to police Mrs Murray said he was checked over and x-rayed at the ERI and then the Sick KIds Hospital.

And although not badly hurt, he was severely traumatised.

She said: "He has said to me he doesn't want to go out in the dark and he said 'mum, if I ever go missing, promise me you won't move house until I find you again.'"

A Police Scotland spokesman said: "We were called to a report of an assault on a 10-year-old boy around 6.10pm on Glenvarloch Crescent on Wednesday 30 October 2019.

"He attended hospital and was treated for minor injuries. Enquiries are at an early stage."