A youth has been charged with the assault of a Malaysian student during the London riots.

The 17-year-old is accused of assaulting Ashraf Rossli on August 8 during the disorder in the capital. He is to appear at Thames Magistrates Court today charged with one count of grievous bodily harm against the student, one count of robbery, two counts of burglary and two counts of violent disorder.

Mr Rossli, who was mugged by yobs posing as Good Samaritans during the riots. While addressing a press conference with his family at a west London hotel, the 20-year-old spoke warmly of the UK, saying there were “a lot of good people everywhere you go”.

Mr Rossli was taken to hospital with a broken jaw after being set upon less than a month after arriving in Britain. Members of the public donated thousands of pounds to a fund for him after footage of the attack was posted on YouTube. A man has already appeared in court accused of robbing Mr Rossli. Reece Donovan, 21, is accused of stealing a portable Sony PlayStation and Nokia mobile phone from the student, who had been in Britain for less than a month.

Mr Donovan appeared at Wood Green Crown Court for a preliminary hearing on August 19 dressed in a grey T-shirt and blue tracksuit top.

He was remanded in custody and will next appear at the same court on October 10 for a plea and case management hearing.