Police in Bristol are investigating a homophobic crime which left a 19-year-old man in hospital.
The victim was in Park Street, near to Tesco on College Green, when the 19-year-old was verbally abused by two men before one of them punched him in the face just before 4am on Sunday (7/5). The teenager was leaving the OMG nightclub in the heart of Bristol.
The police are treating this attack as a hate crime because of the words used by the offenders before the attack was carried out.
The victim was treated at Bristol Royal Infirmary for injuries to his face.
Investigating officer PC Leanne Weeks said,
“This was an extremely unpleasant and unprovoked assault on a man who was targeted because of his sexuality.
“It’s hard to understand how and why someone would do this and we’d urge people to come forward and help us if they can.
“The offender who carried out the assault is white, of slim build, around 20 to 23 years old, with light brown hair in a quiff style which was short at the sides. He was wearing a baby blue long-sleeved shirt and black skinny jeans.
“The man who was with him, who used homophobic language, is white, aged 23 to 25 years old, around 6ft, of muscular build, with dark brown hair also in a quiff style and short at the sides, with a short-cut well-groomed beard. He was wearing a dark long-sleeved shirt and black jeans.
“We’re reviewing CCTV from around the area and will be making further enquiries with venues in the area to try and identify these two men.
“If you were out last Saturday night, or early hours of Sunday morning and recognise the description of these men, or if you saw this incident in the College Green area of Park Street just before 4am on Sunday, please come forward.”
If you can help, please call 101 and give the call handler the reference number 5217101079
