Police launch investigation after 14-year-old cyclist punched by car passenger

Police in Essex are investigating an alleged assault on a 14-year-old cyclist after he was apparently punched by a passenger from a passing car after complaining that the driver hadn't given him enough space when overtaking.

Connor Duhig was riding in Basildon when the incident took place on Sunday afternoon, his mum Sarah Duhig told the Basildon Echo.

"He said to them: ‘Can you give me a bit more room next time please?’ " she said. "They stopped the car further up the road and the passenger got out. He then punched Connor in the side as he went passed."

Connor and his brother Nick then knocked on doors of local housing, finding one resident whose CCTV captured the incident, showing an apparently inebriated man getting out of a car at the side of the road and appearing to aim a punch at the cyclist as he rides past.

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Connor's mum said that her son had not been injured in the incident, but was now too afraid to leave the house.

"He tried to go to school yesterday but had to come back and was banging on the door saying he just couldn’t do it. I am going to try to get him to go back today as he needs to.

"He isn’t normally shy, but this has really upset him. He used to go out on his bike a lot but he won’t now.”

Anyone with information about the incident should call Essex Police on 101 quoting incident 853 of June 11 or on Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.