‘Happy slapping’ may be traced by phone companies

TEENS who carry out or encourage so-called “happy slapping” attacks for kicks could end up laughing all the way to the garda station after a warning that they leave a clear trail of evidence in their wake.

As gardaí in Co Tipperary investigate what is thought to be the first incident of its kind in this country, mobile phone companies warned that cameraphone recordings of such attacks can be traced back to the culprits.

“Happy slapping” has become slang for a spate of attacks in Britain where groups of mainly young people physically assault, scare or embarrass strangers in public while recording the incident on their mobile phones for circulation to friends and acquaintances.