News Service from House Harris

SA: Police say bashing posted online was staged

ADELAIDE, Dec 10 AAP - Violent footage posted on the internet showing the unprovoked bashing of a young man is staged, South Australian police say.

Groups of youth in South Australia have formed their own violent brand of electronic "fight clubs" and are posting humiliating images and footage of victims on blogging pages such as MySpace.

South Australian Police commercial and electronic crime section officer-in-charge, Superintendent Jim Jeffery, said it was common for material to come from outside the state, or even the country.

"Some of it is also staged, edited and manipulated to depict activities which actually aren't occurring," he said.

Supt Jeffery told a media conference the incident filmed on Hindley Street in Adelaide had been viewed by the unit and was believed to be staged.

And although footage of the victim's head being jolted back as he is punched in the face is clearly visible, on their website the suburban gang members, who refer to themselves as Barossa's Most Wanted (BMW), write that the footage is just posted for "fun and jokes".

One blogger, who's face is covered in his profile picture, writes: "welcome to the internet, I know what I've posted on here is viewable to the public ... I don't care, it's not serious."

But South Australian police have assured the public they are taking it seriously, having been made aware of the group in April when one member was charged with assault and property damage.

Supt Jefferey said footage of the accused had been used as evidence against him.

"Police are monitoring members of BMW and consider the group are not organised criminally," he said.

"South Australia police are aware of isolated incidents where mobile phones and other such devices are being used to film pre-empted criminal activity such as assaults and traffic offences.

"Police will take action to ensure such material is removed from networking sites and that steps are taken to identify any offending or offenders.

"And any person filming pre-empted criminal activity can be regarded as being just as involved as the persons taking the action."

It is believed several other South Australian youth gangs have also established violent web pages, including one that shows a teenager who has been stabbed and is lying in a pool of blood in the street.