Emilie Martin has recounted her horrific ordeal in Hackney, London, where she suffered injuries after standing up to shoplifters.

Despite her heroics, Ms Martin has told GB News she was made to feel like the villain.

She spoke to Martin Daubney about being punched in the face after spotting a group of teenagers stocking up on goods.

“Just to be clear, I spoke to a member of staff. I did not approach the shoplifters, I wouldn’t advise that”, she said.

Ms Martin spoke about the devastating ordeal

“It was in 2015. I was in a Tesco in Hackney and I saw a group of teenagers shoplifting. I was brought up well by my mum so I thought I would do the right thing.

“I reported it to a member of staff, I did my shopping and I was leaving the shop, I was punched in the face by one of the teenagers.”

Martin and Ms Martin then examined the shocking damage just one punch caused.

She admitted it was “harrowing” to look back at some of the images.

Martin Daubney was staggered by the admission

“I had this illusion that safety nets there for the public would do something and security guards would do something and the police would come, none of that happened”, she continued.

“Ten years on, I can say that every support network there for victims failed me. The NHS was excellent at first, I had two operations on my nose then eye but now I have been on a waiting list for an operation that should take half an hour.

“I had to go to another hospital to be put on another waiting list.”

Martin was then exasperated as Ms Martin shared that nobody has been made accountable for the crime and all the teenagers involved were able to walk away scot free.

Asked how she feels about police and crime commissioners now calling for more have-a-go heroes to help fight Britain’s crime plague, Ms Martin admitted “it really frustrates me”.

Ms Martin contacted Thames Valley Police and Crime Commissioner Matthew Barber about his plea and revealed she has received a response.

“He wrote a very pleasant response and took the points on board. I suggested some areas for reform”, she said.

“I would like the police to be able to consider the victim more. I was asked to attend the station between 10pm and 2am at night the nights following”, she said.

Ms Martin did not confront the thieves, but they attacked her anyway

“Just that alone. It would be good if the police could at least think of the victim rather than their own schedules.”

Asked if things have got better in Britain since her ordeal, she said: “It’s got worse.

“Things have definitely declined. With the cost of living I imagine shoplifting has gone up just from that.

“People know they can get away with it, so crime breeds.”

As Ms Martin was the victim of an assault, she went about looking to receive some sort of compensation.

But she was bogged down in ‘endless bureaucracy’, leading her to shockingly admit: “I was almost made to feel like I was the criminal in answering to a tribunal.

“They initially threw the claim out. I had to give evidence and argue my way.”

A Metropolitan Police spokesman told GB News: “This was investigated thoroughly at the time and regrettably, we were unable to identify a suspect.

“The Met Police is working to support shopkeepers and tackle theft in the capital, this year solving 163 per cent more shoplifting cases than in the same period last year.”