Turnabout is Fair Play

The Brits have all sorts of strange hobbies. One of them is to walk up to an unsuspecting chap and slap him, while recording the incident on a cellphone video camera. But sometimes, things don't work out as planned:

A HAPPY slapper’s mobile phone recording of an attack took an unexpected twist when his victim retaliated, flooring his assailant with a single punch.

In footage that is rapidly gaining cult status, an athletic young man in a white vest is seen plotting the attack on a stranger, filmed on his friend’s mobile phone.

The British man, on what appears to be a foreign street beside the entrance to a shopping arcade, addresses the camera and, as if he were preparing to sing on the ITV1 show Stars in Their Eyes, says: “Tonight Matthew, I’m going to be. . .a happy slapper.”

The cameraman, also British, can be heard encouraging his friend, saying: “OK, the next person who comes out.”

In front of the camera the would-be aggressor is getting excited. “Which hand?” he says. “I’ll give him both. A double, he’s getting a f***ing right slap.”

Sufficiently prepared for the assault, he tells his audience: “All right, let’s have it.”

A passer-by emerges from the shopping arcade: a smaller man, wearing a leather jacket, a bag slung over his shoulder.

The happy slapper runs towards him, drawing back one arm to swing and catch the man full in the face.

The victim recoils in pain and drops the bag.

He sees his attacker turn and walk back to his friend, who is laughing and still recording the scene.

Incredulous, he screams with rage. He asks his attacker what he was doing. Judging by his accent, he appears to be from Liverpool.

The victim then approaches the youth and throws a fierce right-hand jab, punching him on the chin and knocking him unconscious.