THE ferocity of the mob attack on Craig Rooney appalled even hardened St Helens detectives.

Such was the brutality unleashed on the 18-year-old that some of the attackers later complained of having sore and swollen feet. That was because they had kicked their helpless victim so hard, continuing the onslaught as he lay unconscious.

The victim, from Widnes, was bitten on the back and legs by James Ellison, one of the ringleaders of the attack. Those injuries were so unusual that police had to bring in a forensic dentist to prove which of the gang had inflicted the bite marks.

What police found difficult to comprehend was the level of violence displayed by the girls in this drunken frenzy.

The girls were equally as bad of the boys, say detectives, with witnesses saying one girl spat on Craig as she stood over his battered body.

The St Helens Star has followed this case since the day the horrors of what happened on Thursday, May 22, 2008 emerged.

Detective Inspector Ged Seddon, who led the investigation, has now given an insight into how the attack erupted on a summer’s evening when a large number of youths had gathered in the park to celebrate finishing school by drinking alcohol.

In the park where one group of youngsters, innocently playing football. When their ball strayed towards a larger group of about 20-25 teenagers, one boy from the smaller group went to retrieve it.

Members of the larger group hurled abuse at him and then for no apparent reason set upon him. Ellison, Stephen Francis and another boy, who cannot be named, repeatedly punched and kicked the victim.

The violence intensified as the group moved on in the park towards another group of four teenagers, including Craig Rooney and Craig Halpin, who had been playing with a model remote-controlled helicopter.

Again, for no apparent, reason the pack hurled abuse before Dale Croft kicked 17-year-old Halpin in the face and his accomplices joined in what DI Seddon described as “a violent sustained attack.”

Police evidence shows that Francis, aged 17 at the time, bit Halpin on the face before the gang turned on their main victim, Craig Rooney.

Craig was kicked in the head and face until he lay unconscious, but the attackers did not back off, instead they continued to stamp upon and aim kicks at his head.

Ellison bit Rooney several times on the back and legs. Witnesses told police Kayley McMahon spat on the stricken victim’s face.

Only the outstanding bravery of the injured Halpin, who lay over Craig’s body to shield him, and a passer by who intervened stopped the ordeal.

Craig was taken to hospital where he underwent emergency surgery to relieve pressure on his brain.

That Craig survived the attack owes a tremendous amount to the surgeons and doctors at Walton Centre for Neurology and to the heroes who prevented him from taking any more punishment.

Police chiefs add that this crime has been met with “overwhelming revulsion and condemnation” from communities nearby Sherdley Park. And they have heaped praise on young witnesses, many of whom were friends of the attackers, for testimonies that proved crucial to the prosecution.