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A teenage girl has been filmed beating up a Sikh pensioner and spitting in his face.

In a sickening attack she kicked and punched the 80-year-old in front of passers-by before shoving him to the ground and knocking off his turban.

As she verbally abused him, youths looked on and did nothing.

A man eventually stepped in to help the victim once the attacker and her gang were walking away.

The man was taken to hospital with a cut nose and swollen eye socket after last week’s attack.

Footage has been circulated on social media in a bid to help track down the thug.

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Sikh men are not permitted to cut their hair and must keep their heads covered.

The attack happened in broad daylight in Trinity Street in Coventry city centre on August 10 at 8.30pm.

The girl was dressed all in black with green Converse shoes and her hair was tied in a pony tail.

West Midlands Police are investigating the attack and are treating it as a malicious wounding - a serious offence with a maximum penalty of five years in jail.

Coventry police chief Supt Andy Nicholson said: “This is a despicable, violent attack on an elderly man.”

Call 101 if you can help.

* How our sister website the Coventry Telegraph is reporting the story.

- A teenage girl was last night arrested in connection with the attack.