It is being reported that a gay couple and their two friends, in North Yorkshire, were beaten by a group of up to 15 in a homophobic incident.
A gay couple and their two friends were left needing medical attention, after an attack by “group of about 15” outside a pub in Thornaby, North Yorkshire by what they call a “homophobic gang”.
Jayson Homer and his partner, 21, and two friends, Marc Vasey and a female friend, allege that the incident started at around 8:30 PM inside the pub, where they were enjoying a festive drink. Jayson’s partner, who wished to remain anonymous, says that he was questioned about his religion by another group at the pub. The debate escalated to verbal abuse when he said that the group started calling him homophobic slurs.
Speaking to the Gazette Live the anonymous victim said,
“At first a girl in the group started taking the mick out of me for being Jewish. Then another lad from the group came over saying being Jewish was a race.
“I was disagreeing with him and it was just a little debate really at first. But then the girl started shouting ‘queer’ at me. Every time I went to the toilet someone said it while I was walking past.”
Eventually, the couple and their two friends decided to leave the pub at 11.15 PM, when they say they were set upon and physically attacked by “a group of about 15” on Thornaby Road.
Jayson said that he was bottled in the face and had to have a CT scan at the hospital to check for brain damage. His partner suffered bruising and a black eye.
Jayson said that the attack has left him feeling suicidal and petrified to leave his own home.
He said,
“To tell the truth it left me feeling suicidal. I was petrified to go out of my front door but I’m not going to let it stop me living my life.”
According to Gazette Live this is the second homophobic attack in less than a week in Thornaby. On Wednesday 21st December a 30-year-old cyclist was assaulted, following a homophobic verbal attack by two men. His attackers were travelling in a white Mercedes, when they pulled over, shouted homophobic abuse at him, got out of their car and attacked him.
In January a teenager was attacked by two men who approached him after he alighted the 1C bus on Knaresborough Road, Harrogate, in North Yorkshire. As he walked passed the men, the victim was grabbed by one who held his arms behind his back whilst being punched and kicked in the head.
Cleveland Police are investigating the attack and are urging anyone with information to call 101 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555111.
