THEGAYUK

Tag: British Transport Police

All the latest breaking news on the British Transport Police. Browse THEGAYUK’s complete collection of news, articles and commentary on the British Transport Police.

  • Police are looking for four men in connection to assault on two boyfriends

    Police are looking for four men in connection to assault on two boyfriends

    British Transport Police is searching for four men in connection with an assault in which two boyfriends were attacked.

    British Transport Police would like to make a connection with four men after two boyfriends reported that they were attacked on a train in London. The incident happened at around 1.05am on 15 February on the Reading to London Paddington service, just before the train stopped at Ealing Broadway.

    The victims, a 35-year-old man and a 26-year-old man were travelling home following a night out for Valentine’s Day. They both fell asleep and missed their stop. When they woke up, as the train was approaching Ealing Broadway, they found they were being attacked.

    Police say a group of men were punching and kicking them repeatedly.

    The victims attempted to get away but the offenders followed and continued to attack them during a prolonged assault.

    Investigating officer, PC Peter Taylor, said,

    “This was a very nasty assault committed by a group of men who attacked two other men while they were sleeping on the train. The victims believe the motivation for the attack was that the offenders thought they were gay.

    “Hate crime such as this will absolutely not be tolerated by British Transport Police. I would like to speak to anyone who recognises the men shown in the CCTV images as they may have information which could help with the investigation.

    “If you recognise them or have any other information about the incident, please contact me by calling 0800 40 50 40 or text information to 61016 quoting reference number 30 15/2/17.”

     

     

  • Police are looking for information in connection to an attack on a gay couple in London

    Police are looking for information in connection to an attack on a gay couple in London

    British Transport Police is appealing for information from the public after two boyfriends were attacked on a London-bound train after a night out in Reading.

    ealing broadway
    CREDIT: Google Maps 2015/2017

    Police are investigating an attack on two men at Ealing Broadway rail station on the morning of 15th February. The two men, a couple, were subjected to an attack, which they said was “for being gay”. The victims say the attack happened on a Great Western Railway train.

    Police confirmed that the pair sustained injuries and were transferred to hospital by ambulance.

    The police were called at 1.04 AM.

    Phillip Poole, 35 and his boyfriend, Zbynek Zatloukal, 26 were apparently brutally beaten on a London-bound train travelling from Reading on Valentine’s day. Mr Poole said that the couple were set upon by a gang of five “for being gay”.

    According to Mr Poole, the thugs boarded the train in Ealing, West London and verbally abused the couple with a homophobic insult before physically attacking them. Mr Poole says that he was sleeping on his partner’s shoulder when a punch to the face woke him.

     Anyone with any information about the incident should contact British Transport Police on 0800 40 50 40 or 61016 citing reference 30 of 15/02/16.
  • Gay couple brutally beaten “for being gay”

    Gay couple brutally beaten “for being gay”

    A gay couple were brutally beaten in what’s been described as a homophobic attack on a London-bound train on Valentine’s Day.

     

    Phillip Poole Homophobic attack
    CREDIT: Phillip Poole

    Phillip Poole, 35 and his boyfriend, Zbynek Zatloukal, 26 were apparently brutally beaten on a London-bound train travelling from Reading on Valentine’s day. Mr Poole said that the couple were set upon by a gang of five “for being gay”.

    Mr Poole took to social media to share the shocking images of his and his boyfriend’s injuries. The attack has left him feeling anxious and “jumpy”.

    HAPPY TIMES: The couple before the attack – a happy Valentine’s night out.

    The thugs boarded the train in Ealing, West London and verbally abused the couple with a homophobic insult before physically attacking them. Mr Poole says that he was sleeping on his partner’s shoulder when a punch to the face woke him.

    Speaking to the Standard he said,

    “I can’t really remember much about what happened because I was in such shock when I woke up. I managed to get up and stumble down the carriageway but then they followed me.”

    He said that he was not a violent person and did not know how to defend himself against the abusive onslaught. The 36-year-old said he was still jumpy from the incident.

    The couple, who have been together since November 2015 sustained cuts and bruises and were taken to Ealing Hospital.

    Mr Poole took to his Facebook profile to thank his friends and family for their well wishes

    “Just wanted to thank everyone so much for your comments of support❤means the world to Zbyněk and I. We are home resting now but are very bruised and swollen”.

     

    British Transport Police have said they are aware of the incident and was investigating and Mr Poole confirmed to THEGAYUK that they would be contact them next week.

  • Man “Exposes” Himself Before Shouting Homophobic Slurs At Passenger

    The police are hunting a man who exposed his penis to another man before hurling homophobic abuse from an incident that happened in April.

    British Transport Police officers have releaed an image of a man they wish to speak to following a sexual incident at London Bridge Underground station on the 10th April 2015.
    According to the BTP the man approached the tail end of the platform when he saw another man at the far end of the platform shouting homophobic language and exposing himself.

     

    The man redressed himself and boarded a southbound train.

     

    Investigating officer PC Leslie Dunnett said:

    “I’d like to speak to the man in the CCTV image as I believe he may have vital information which could help with the investigation. People have the right to travel on the rail network without being made to feel uncomfortable or intimidated.”

    Anyone with any information should contact British Transport Police on 0800 40 50 40 or text us on 61016 quoting crime reference number T-SUB/B2 of 17/11/15.”

     

  • Man Jailed For Life After Brutal Attack On Young Gay Man

    A Leeds man has been sentenced to life imprisonment for the brutal murder of a young gay student who was dumped under railway arches.

    Richard Dennis Langdon Danter, a 31-year-old Leeds man, savagely beat and stamped on the former student, Billy Makelow, 20, until he was unconscious, before dumping his half naked body on the 25th April (2015).

    The pair had met in the gay bar Viaduct Show Bar near Leeds train station and were seen leaving the venue together at 2.44am.

    The student, who had been studying social sciences, was then subjected to an attack which the surgeons who worked to save the young man, said they never seen so much trauma, which was completely focused on the head and facial area.

    The Recorder of Leeds Peter Collier QC said,

    “Such was the savageness and brutality of your focused attack on his head, I am driven to conclude that at that moment your intention was to kill him.”

     

    After the first attack Danter, who described himself in court as bisexual, returned to the nightclub for another drink, where he told people he had just killed someone. Later he returned to the scene and moved a brutalised Mr. Mankelow to a more secluded area.

     

    Mr Collier continued,

    “You left him where you had assaulted him, helpless and dying, and went back to the nightclub. Later you went back and moved his body further into the arches, no doubt intending to make it more unlikely that he would be discovered.

    “You also removed and disposed of his mobile phone, whether or not he would have been capable of calling for help himself I can never know.”

    Two men who had taken a wrong turning found Mr. Mankelow. They saw a man dragging what they suspected was a body into one of the arches. They discovered Mr. Mankelow, who was unconscious and notified the emergency services and taken to Leeds General Infirmary where he was placed on life support in intensive care.

    Mr. Mankelow’s life support was turned off on the 26th April, with his family present.

    According to an official statement by the British Transport Police,

    “Officers attended the Viaduct bar and spoke to staff and viewed CCTV which led them to Danter. He was arrested at 1pm on Sunday, 26 April close to his home address in Queens Road, Leeds.

    “Follow up enquiries also revealed that directly after the incident, Danter returned to the Viaduct bar and spoke to a number of members of staff stating he had just killed someone, a confession he also relayed to a friend a short while later.”

     

    TRAGIC WASTE OF YOUNG LIFE

    Detective Chief Inspector David Shipperlee of British Transport Police’s major investigation team said:

    “Billy, an innocent, caring and popular young man, died as a result of serious head injuries received during a sustained and what we believe to be, totally unprovoked attack. He received more than 20 blows to his head, the majority of which were as a result of being kicked and stamped on.

    “After he assaulted him, Danter dragged Billy into an alcove in the railway arch, presumably to conceal his body, and left him for dead.

    “His death is such a tragic waste of a young life, a life taken by a violent, evil and dangerous man, who has a history of previous convictions for violence and sexual offences, who is now where he belongs, behind bars.”

    SENSELESS AND UNNECESSARY

    A statement from Billy’s family read,

    “Billy loved life and had lots of friends. He was independent and motivated and went to study at Leeds University in 2013. Billy loved Leeds, a place where he made a life for himself and had lots of friends.

    “Billy would always make time to come back to Kent in the holidays to spend time with his family.

    “At the time of his death Billy had been working for Capita and had passed his training course and was due to start his new role only two days after his death.

    “Billy’s family and friends are all distraught at the way Billy died; which was so senseless and unnecessary. Billy was simply out with friends having a good time with his life ahead of him.

    “We as a family will never get over the way he died, we have lost a person of exceptional kindness and good nature.

    “Billy’s tragic loss will be felt by everyone who knew him for a long time.”

     

  • Appeal For Information After Homophobic Attack On London Train

    A man was assaulted and verbally abused on a train between Charing Cross and Bexleyheath in July.

    British Transport Police (BTP) officers are appealing for information after a man suffered homophobic abuse and was assaulted on Tuesday, 15 July on a train between Charing Cross and Bexleyheath.

    PC Michael Willoughby is investigating. He said: ‘The victim boarded the train at Charing Cross around 5.30am. During the journey a man sat opposite him and began making homophobic comments to him and began taking pictures of the victim on his phone.

    ‘The victim challenged the man, but was punched and kicked in return’

    The suspect is described as a Chinese man, aged around 35, wearing a casual dark grey shirt, black trousers and black shoes. He is thought to be of proportional build and around 5’9.

    Officers are appealing to anyone who was on the service at the time and who may have information about what took place.

    PC Willoughby continued: ‘Anti-social or violent behaviour has no place on the railway and passengers should feel able to use the network without fear of becoming a victim of crime.

    ‘Anyone who witnessed the incident, or who has any information about what took place, should get in touch.’

    Anyone with information should contact British Transport Police by calling 0800 40 50 40 or texting 61016 quoting SSUB/B6 of 7/8/14. Alternatively contact the independent charity, Crimestoppers, on 0800 555 111 anonymously.

  • CCTV Images Released After Homophobic Attack on Man In Leeds

    The British Transport Police are looking for people with information after a 21-year-old man was attacked outside a Leeds train station.

    Officers from the BTP releases images of two men they want to identify and speak to following the incident, which occurred at 3.10am on Saturday, 5 July.

    PC Daniel Worthington, the investigating officer, said, “The victim, a 21-year-old man from Leeds, was in McDonald’s restaurant in the station when he was approached by a group of four men.

    “After initially engaging him in conversation, the group then followed the victim to the taxi rank where they began to shout homophobic abuse at him. Two members of the group then attacked the victim, punching him in the head and face before running off.”

    The victim sustained swelling and bruising to his face and a cut lip following the attack.

    PC Worthington added: “No one should be assaulted or abused in such a way for any reason, including their sexual orientation. We take incidents of this nature very seriously and simply will not tolerate this type of deplorable behaviour on the rail network.

    “If you recognise the men pictured please come forward as we believe they may be able to assist in this investigation.”

    If you recognise the men in the CCTV images or can assist the investigation in any way please call British Transport Police on 0800 40 50 40 or text 61016 quoting log PSUB/B3 of 11/07/14 or the independent charity Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111.

  • Investigation Opened Over £28,000 of Fake Beyoncé Tickets

    The British Transport police are opening an investigation after more than 100 cases of ticket fraud reported at the Phones 4 U Arena in Manchester.

    Detective Constable Mike Dermody said: “It seems that someone has been selling fake tickets to concert goers who only realise the tickets aren’t genuine when they get to the venue.

    “We believe there have been more than 140 sets of fake tickets sold, though only seven victims have come forward so far.

    “In most cases the tickets have sold for at least £100 each and each victim has bought at least two tickets, so we are potentially looking at a fraud worth more than £28,000.”

    DC Dermody added: “Each transaction has taken place over the internet, using public selling websites, with the victims arranging to meet someone in Manchester to pick up the tickets.

    “I believe the victims of this fraudster will be spread far and wide as people travel from all over the UK to see Beyonce.

    “I am, therefore, appealing to anyone who has been sold fake tickets, but has not yet spoken to police to come forward.

    “We have a number of leads, but need as many people as possible to get in touch.”

    If you have any information about the fraudulent tickets please call Action Fraud on 0300 123 2040 or British Transport Police on 0800 40 50 40. In all calls please quote BTP log NWA/B5 of 28/2/14.

  • Police Appeal For Witnesses After Anti-Gay Attack On Piccadilly Line

    British Transport Police (BTP) are looking for witnesses after a man assaults two passengers and makes homophobic remarks.

    * Officers are appealing for witnesses to come forward after a man and woman were assaulted on the Tube.

    * The incident happened around 3pm on Monday, 8 July onboard an eastbound Piccadilly line train travelling between Hounslow East and Northfields London Underground (LU) stations.

    * News comes same day as BTP release data showing that homophobic attacks on the UK’s transport system have risen from 2011/12 to 2012/13

     

    PC Paul Franklin, the investigating officer, said: “Three men and a woman were standing on the platform at Hounslow East LU station when a man made homophobic remarks towards them.

    “The argument continued on the train and the woman was assaulted by the man.

    “A member of the public then intervened and he too was assaulted by the man. The altercation spilled out on to the platform at Northfields LU station and the victim left the station before police arrived.”

    PC Franklin added: “Enquiries are ongoing to establish the full circumstances surrounding the incident and, at this stage, I am appealing for anyone who was at the station to come forward with information about what they saw.”

    A 27-year-old man from Hounslow has been arrested in connection with the incident and bailed pending further enquiries.

     

    9 Fold Increase in Homophobic Attacks

    BTP also revealed statistics that show recorded offences of homophobic crimes reported on the London Underground have risen 9 fold in the period 1st Oct 2011 – 31st January 2012 to 1st Oct 2012 – 31st January 2013.

    Anyone with information should contact British Transport Police on Freefone 0800 40 50 40, or text 61016, quoting reference B3/LUA of 12/08/13 or call the independent charity Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

  • Homophobic assault appeal cancellled by British Transport Police

    British Transport Police (BTP) officers investigating a homophobic-related assault in Lancashire have cancelled their appeal for assistance.

    Officers have called off an appeal for information issued on the 7th May 2013, after three women were subjected to a homophobic attack on a train between Blackpool North and Preston.

    The BTP released an image of a man who they wanted to question with regards to the matter, who has now come forward and will be spoken to officers about the incident.

     

    PC Tony Greenwood said:

    “The men became extremely offensive and hurled homophobic abuse at the women before spraying them with a bottle of shaken-up lemonade.

    “As the offensive behaviour got more extreme one of the men became violent and knocked a 21-year-old woman to the floor before further assaulting her.

    “As a result the woman suffered bruising and swelling to her face, head and arms and has suffered from partial memory loss since the incident.”

    PC Greenwood added:

    “This was a particularly nasty and vicious assault which all began with unwarranted and totally unacceptable homophobic abuse.

    “Everyone has the right to travel in a safe environment free from abuse and violence. Sadly some people seem intent on causing trouble and we will use all tools at our disposal to bring them to justice.”

    After the man came forward, PC Greenwood thanked the media and public for their assistance saying,

    “I’d like to thank the media and the public for their assistance in this matter. As a direct result of the appeal we now have a number of leads to follow.”