A gang of women who killed an Egyptian student in what her family believe was a race attack had abused her in the street months earlier, it has been claimed.

The mother of Mariam Moustafa says her daughter had been assaulted by the same thugs four months before but police in Nottingham 'did nothing'.

Mariam, 18, was left in a coma after being jumped by the group of female yobs outside a shopping centre while she waited for a bus on February 20, but died on Wednesday.

Her sister, Malak, was also previously beaten up by the same group of girls and in one brutal attack even broke her leg, the family said.

Despite relatives insisting the attacks were fuelled by racism, Nottinghamshire Police - heavily criticised by the Moustafa family - said they do not think the attack was 'motivated by hate'.

The mother of Mariam Moustafa (pictured) claimed that her daughter had been assaulted by the same thugs four months before but police in Nottingham 'did nothing'

The teenager had been shopping in Nottingham city centre before she was repeatedly assaulted by the women in an unprovoked attack on Parliament Street.

The engineering student was rushed to Nottingham City Hospital and placed in an induced coma but died on Wednesday.

Her family believe she was targeted in a racially-motivated attack by a group of women who had previously attacked her in the street, breaking her sister's leg.

According to an Egyptian newspaper, Moustafa's mother Nessrin Shehata posted a video on social media saying: 'Four months ago, two of the same ten women abused my daughter in the street with no specific reason.

'We went to the police station and issued an official complaint; however, nothing happened.'

She added that when the women saw her in the street walking alone, they attacked her once again and dragged her about several feet in the street.

Her uncle Amr El Hariry, 46, said he believed his niece would still be alive today had detectives investigated the original attack.

Speaking from Cairo, Egypt, he said: 'Two of the girls had actually attacked Mariam and Malak four months ago and broke Malak's leg.

'Their parents went to the police who just filed the complaint and that was all - that was a warning, they should've acted.

'The second time she was walking down the street when these girls shouted at her, they called her 'black rose' and Mariam said that wasn't her name.

'They started to beat her, kicking and punching her all over, she ran away but they chased after her. She didn't even know these girls.'

Mariam's family believe she was targeted in a racially-motivated attack by a group of women who had previously hurled abuse at her in the street

A 17-year-old girl was arrested on suspicion of assault occasioning grievous bodily harm and was subsequently released on conditional bail.

A Home Office post-mortem examination is due to take place.

Mariam, who was a Nottingham College engineering student, is understood to have suffered a bleed on the brain as well as a stroke during the attack.

She was reportedly punched several times before she was further verbally assaulted after getting onto the number 27 bus.

Mariam, who had just been offered a place at university in London, had originally been discharged, but started to deteriorate at home and was rushed back to hospital.

Mariam's sister also criticised Nottinghamshire Police for 'missing vital warning signs' that she believes could have saved her life.

Malak said: 'The first time they attacked me and Mariam was in August last year, because they said we were staring at them.

'She recognised them from the first attack and tried to walk away, they started shouting at her and followed her.

Mariam, who had just been offered a place at university in London, had originally been discharged, but started to deteriorate at home and was rushed back to hospital

'They're all younger than us, I think they aged between 15 and 17, I don't know who they are, and they go to a different school.

'The guy on the bus who was trying to protect Mariam was a friend of hers from college.

'I'm upset with everyone to be honest, no one did anything, something could've been done, and if the police did then she would still be here.

'I do think that vital warnings were missed, the police should've done something after the first attack but they did nothing.

'After the first attack, a complaint was filed and that was it - the second time they just said they were reopening the case and that was it.

'There has been little communication even after our family has been ripped apart.'

Dad Mohamed said they believed the attack was racially-motivated and added: 'My daughter has never had a problem with any girl in the city before.

'I don't know why they attacked her the first time, but they recognised her the second time and went after her again.

'My wife and I think it was racially motivated because Mariam didn't know these girls, why would you attack someone randomly?

'They were all of different colour skin to Mariam maybe that is why they did this - they also called her "black rose".

'I just don't know why they would attack her, when she did nothing wrong.'

Now diplomatic row looms as Egypt accuses UK of ‘human rights failings’ The death of Mariam Moustafa turned into a diplomatic row yesterday as Egyptian authorities accused Britain of failings. Politicians in the 18-year-old’s home country criticised her hospital treatment and the police investigation into the brutal gang attack. On Twitter, campaigners gave their posts labels including JusticeforMariam as concern about the case gathered momentum. The Egyptian prosecutor-general has reportedly made an official request for information about the attack. And human rights organisations in Egypt are said to be working on a dossier that includes a list of its nationals ‘killed in mysterious circumstances in England’. The head of Egypt’s human rights committee is even planning to send a parliamentary delegation to England to carry out its own probe, according to reports. Deputy chairman Margaret Azer called the death a ‘complete and flagrant violation of human rights in Britain.’ She added: ‘If a British or a western national was killed in Egypt, we would see an army of western organisations issuing reports on human rights conditions in Egypt.’ Another report said deputy foreign minister Khaled Rizk was investigating possible medical ‘negligence’. Critics say there is no democracy in Egypt and real power resides with the army. The country is often criticised for its own human rights violations, incuding extrajudicial killings and the repression of free speech. Last year Briton Laura Plummer, 34, was jailed after bringing in 290 tramadol tablets she said were for her Egyptian boyfriend’s bad back. The Egyptian embassy in London did not respond to a request to comment. Advertisement

Nottinghamshire Police said they did not think the attack was 'motivated by hate' but 'continued to keep an open mind'.

A force spokesperson added: 'We would like to reassure the community that we are treating this incident very seriously and we are working hard to establish the circumstances.

'We are also giving support to Mariam's family at this very difficult time.

'We know there were a lot of people standing at the bus stop when the assault happened and we are urging them and anyone else who has any information which could help us to please come forward.'

A spokesperson for Nottinghamshire Police added: 'We take all reports of crimes seriously and investigate thoroughly.

'We remain in daily contact with the victim's family and are supporting them at this very difficult time.'