The attack happened near Piccadilly Circus, in London, on the 3rd March at 2.15 AM according to a police report.
The victim, a man in his mid-thirties was walking towards Picadilly Circus Tube station to see if it was closed, he asked three men nearby if they knew if the station was open or not. The men then shouted homophobic abuse at the victim.
The three men, all in their early 20s, are said to have then approached the victim and pushed him into the road. Once the victim was on the floor the group proceeded to assault him, according to a police statement.
The victim managed to run across the road towards the Hard Rock Café. The three men followed him and attacked him for a second time.
The group then left the scene in the direction of Shaftesbury Avenue.
The victim was taken to hospital and later released. He sustained bruising as a result of the attack.
Police are looking for men of a Middle Eastern appearance in their early 20s
The three men are all thought to be in their early 20s and maybe of Middle Eastern appearance. One of the men was wearing a distinctive light wash denim jacket with a white trim on the collar.
“Unprovoked and vicious assault”
Investigating officer, Detective Constable John McNally, said, “This was a completely unprovoked and vicious assault on the victim, seemingly motivated by homophobia. Though thankfully not seriously injured, the victim has understandably been left very shaken by the incident.
“The Met takes a zero tolerance approach to homophobic crime; it is absolutely unacceptable that anyone should feel intimidated to go about their daily lives due to their sexual orientation.”
Three men – all aged 21 years old – have been arrested on suspicion of causing actual bodily harm. All have since been released under investigation.
If you have any information about this incident please call 101 quoting CAD 575/03March or call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.
A man is facing over eight years of jail time after pleading guilty to drugging, sexually assaulting and stealing from another man in London.
Romanian national, Carol Simon, 46, has been jailed for 8 months and 5 months after being pleading guilty to sexual assault, administering a substance with intent to overpower to allow sexual activity, possession of class C drugs and theft following an incident in Marble Arch.
On 24 March 2019, Simon was loitering outside The City of Quebec pub on Old Quebec Street in Westminster, London when he approached the victim and asked to share a taxi home.
The man, in his 50s, accepted and once they arrived at the victim’s home, Simon invited himself in for a drink where he then administered the drug, sexually assaulted the victim and stole his wallet, watch and phone.
The victim reported the incident to police who began an investigation. Detectives were able to trace Simon as the suspect through a DNA match.
He was arrested on 4 April 2019 at the same venue where he targeted the victim. On arrest, officers found a small bottle with liquid inside that Simon claimed were eye drops. However, the substance was tested and was in fact Diazepam.
According to the Met, Simon was charged the following day.
Detective Constable Sophie McLoughlin led the investigation. She said, “The victim has been incredibly brave throughout this ordeal and it is because of his courage that Simon is behind bars where he belongs.
“Simon had clearly set out that night to harm someone for his cowardly gain, his actions were completely evil and he will never know the trauma he has caused.
“We encourage anyone who has been a victim of sexual assault to come forward and speak to us, we will support you.”
The Pride Flag flies outside the Scottish Parliament during the Opening of the fifth session of the Scottish Parliament. 02 July 2016. Pic – Andrew Cowan/Scottish Parliament
The latest statistics from the Hate Crime In Scotland report show that charges in relation to homophobic hate crime increased by 5 per cent in the 2018/19 period compared to the year before.
Meanwhile, transphobic crimes decreased by 23 per cent. Court proceedings were commenced in respect of 29 of the 40 charges.
In the same period, homophobic hate crime charges increased by five per cent to over 1,100 reported crimes.
In total, 40 charges of transphobic hate crime were reported to the Procurator Fiscal in Scotland in 2018/19. The previous period recorded 52 reports, this is a decrease of 23 per cent.
In 2018 to 2019 hate crimes based on sexual orientation rose by five per cent according to a report on Hate Crime In Scotland. There were 1,176 charges reported in 2018-19. The numbers of crimes reported and charged have risen year on year since 2010, except in 2014/15.
Since 2010 hate crimes against gay and bi people have increased by over 160 per cent.
Homophobia the only hate crime to rise
CREDIT: Yastremska-bigstock
In contrast to religious, race and gender identity-based crime, hate crime based on sexual orientation is the only hate crime to steadily climb.
Although race-based hate crimes are the most reported type of hate crime, the number of charges reported has decreased by 37% since a peak in 2011-12.
Police in London are looking for witnesses following on from alleged homophobic abuse at a football match at the London stadium.
Homophobic chanting was heard from a number of individuals during the match in the Sir Trevor Booking Stand at The London Stadium. It is believed to have involved home fans.
Anyone who witnessed the incident or can provide detectives with video footage is urged to come forward.
Inspector Matt Ashmead from the Met’s Public Order Investigation Team said, “We take allegations such as these extremely seriously and will act accordingly to any information brought to our attention. We work in partnership with the club and the stadium safety team to identify those who commit hate crime at football and we will take robust action against them.”
Arrests Made
(C) GOOGLE MAPS
Mr Ashmead continued, “With the assistance of law-abiding fans this weekend we were able to identify and arrest two individuals who were obtusely shouting homophobic abuse towards other supporters during this game. We welcome any further information or footage that would supply further evidence, or identify other offenders.
“Behaviour like this is completely unacceptable and perpetrators will be held accountable for their actions, so that the majority of law-abiding fans can enjoy a football game without the minority ruining their experience.
“If you have any information or footage to support our investigation please call us on 020 8246 9386 or contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.”
The latest statistics from the Hate Crime In Scotland report show that charges in relation to transgender hate crime decreased by 16 per cent in the 2018/19 period compared to the year before.
Court proceedings were commenced in respect of 29 of the 40 charges.
In the same period, homophobic hate crime charges increased by five per cent.
In total, 40 charges of transphobic hate crime were reported to the Procurator Fiscal in Scotland in 2018/19. The previous period recorded 52 reports, this is a decrease of 23 per cent.
In contrast, crimes charged and reported on the basis of sexuality increased to over 1100 reported crimes.
In 2018 to 2019 hate crimes based on sexual orientation rose by five per cent according to a report on Hate Crime In Scotland. There were 1,176 charges reported in 2018-19. The numbers of crimes reported and charged have risen year on year since 2010, except in 2014/15.
Since 2010 hate crimes against gay and bi people have increased by over 160 per cent.
Homophobia the only hate crime to rise
CREDIT: Yastremska-bigstock
In contrast to religious, race and gender identity-based crime, hate crime based on sexual orientation is the only hate crime to steadily climb.
Although race-based hate crimes are the most reported type of hate crime, the number of charges reported has decreased by 37% since a peak in 2011-12.
Detectives investigating the death of 43-year-old Adrian Murphy in Battersea and a separate incident in Walthamstow have charged a woman.
In 2019, an Irish man, Adrian Murphy, was found dead in a luxury flat he was housesitting after inviting a man for a dating app hook up.
Police have now arrested a woman and charged her for the murder of Adrian Murphy.
-One count of murder (in relation to Adrian Murphy)
Diana Cristea, 18 (05.10.01) of Barnet, London was arrested on Tuesday, 14 January 2020 and later charged with:
-One count of poisoning – administering a substance to endanger life/inflict GBH (against a 40-year-old man, the victim of the Walthamstow incident)
-Two counts of theft (in relation to both victims)
-Two counts of fraud by false representation (in relation to both victims)
She will appear at Wimbledon Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday, 15 January.
Joel Osei, 25 (11.11.94), of no fixed abode, was previously arrested on Thursday, 24 October and the following day was charged with:
-Two counts of poisoning – administering a substance to endanger life/inflict GBH (in relation to both incidents)
-Two counts of theft (in relation to both incidents)
-Six counts of fraud by false representation (in relation to both victims)
He was subsequently charged with murder on 5 December.
He has been remanded in custody and will appear at the Old Bailey on 17 February.
“Hallmarks of a similar attack on a 40-year-old man in east-London just days beforehand”
The victim, Mr Murphy, from Kilkenny in Ireland, had apparently organised a hook up on a dating app and had the hallmarks of a similar attack on a 40-year-old man in east-London just days beforehand.
The flat in which he was staying had been ransacked and property allegedly was stolen.
Echoes of Barking Murders
CREDIT: met police
Similarly to the Stephen Port murders, in which the serial killer drugged, raped and then murdered his victims, he found on gay dating apps, the 40-year-old victim who survived his ordeal in Walthamstow believes he was drugged by a man he had invited to his flat after meeting him on a social networking platform.
He became unconscious and was found later that day by a friend who raised the alarm.
Gemma Watts has been jailed for eight years after being sentenced at Winchester Crown Court.
A deceitful woman who pretended to be a young boy online so she could groom young teenage girls from around the country has been jailed.
Gemma Watts, 21 (18.09.98) from Pembroke Avenue, Enfield has been sentenced at Winchester Crown Court to eight years’ imprisonment after pleading guilty at the same court on 28 November 2019 to:
– Assault by penetration (Section 2 of the Sexual Offence Act 2003) – victim 1;
– Sexual Assault, (Section 3 of the Sexual Offences Act 2003) – victim 1;
– Meeting a child following sexual grooming (Section 15 (1) of the Sexual Offences Act 2003) – victim 1;
– Sexual Assault, (Section 3 of the Sexual Offences Act 2003) – victim 2;
– Meeting a child following sexual grooming (Section 15 (1) of the Sexual Offences Act 2003) – victim 2;
– Meeting a child following sexual grooming (Section 15 (1) of the Sexual Offences Act 2003) – victim 3;
– Sexual Assault, (Section 3 of the Sexual Offences Act 2003) – victim 4.
Watts was placed on the Sex Offenders Register for life and was made subject to a life-long Sexual Harm Prevention Order.
Detective Constable Phillipa Kenwright, who was the Met’s Safeguarding Lead for the case, said , “In this particular case, Watts targeted her young victims on social media platforms and duped them into believing they were entering into a relationship with someone whom they could trust.
“She then went on to form physical relationships in which she spun a web of lies and deceit, giving her the opportunity to commit sexual offences.
“Her arrest, and now lengthy prison sentence, has prevented her from targeting further victims, but I hope that it also gives reassurance to other victims of sexual exploitation that offenders will be brought to justice. I encourage them to come forward and speak to us.
“I am delighted with the sentence that the Judge has passed today and hope it acts as a warning to others intent on exploiting and manipulating children online, that they will be dealt with robustly.”
Watts created an “elaborate web of deception”
Following a joint operation by the Met and Hampshire Constabulary, it was established that Watts had spun a bizarre and elaborate web of deception by inventing a fictional alias ‘Jake Watton’. She used this profile to groom teenage girls she met through social media sites and then sexually assault them.
Watts contacted her victims through social messaging apps, Facebook, Snapchat, Yubo and Instagram, under the alias of 16-year-old Jake Waton or Jake Watton.
Watts exchanged messages with her victims, obtaining their trust before meeting them and committing a number of serious sexual offences.
Hampshire Police contacted officers from the Met’s Central Specialist Crime unit informing them an investigation had been launched after receiving reports from a medical professional that a 14-year-old girl (victim 1) had reported being sexually assaulted by her boyfriend ’Jake Waton’ in April 2018.
She used various aliases, including “Jake Waton”
The investigation showed that ‘Jake Waton’ was actually an adult female called Gemma Watts. Further research by officers identified another two victims, both under 18, (victim 2 and victim 3) who also reported being groomed and sexually assaulted by Watts under her alias.
Officers executed a search warrant at Watts’ home address in July 2018 and arrested her for a number of serious sexual offences.
During interview, she admitted to grooming the victims whilst pretending to be ‘Jake Waton’ and partially admitted a number of the assaults. Watts was bailed to allow further enquiries to be completed.
It was later established that she continued to groom young females whilst on police bail and was re-arrested in October 2018 in West Midlands when she was found with a 15-year-old missing girl (victim 4). The victim reported to officers that she had been sexually assaulted by Watts.
In November 2018, officers from the Met obtained an interim Sexual Risk Order from Stratford Magistrates’ Court which allowed Watts to be closely monitored by officers to prevent her from re-offending until charges were authorised by the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) in Hampshire. A final Sexual Risk Order was obtained on 2 May 2019 and Watts was charged on 12 September 2019.
PC Nicola Benson, from Hampshire Constabulary’s Missing and Exploited Team, said , “The level of manipulation and deceit used by Watts to snare her victims, in this case, was truly shocking. Children are particularly vulnerable to exploitation online with increased use of social media apps, and there is a real risk that any contact with a stranger online can lead to a child meeting an offender in person.
“This case demonstrates the stark reality of that, and it is astonishing the lengths that Watts went to, to ensure she could abuse these girls.
“I am pleased that Watts has now received a custodial sentence, and I would like to commend the bravery of the girls and their families who found the courage to come forward and make this happen. I want them to know that they are not in any way to blame for this, and hope they can now move on from this ordeal.
“I would also like to thank officers from West Midlands Police, Devon & Cornwall Police, Kent Police and the Metropolitan Police for their involvement in this complex and lengthy investigation.”
Anyone who has any information that could help lead to an arrest, or protect a child from online abuse, is asked to call 999. Alternatively, they should contact the NSPCC or Internet Watch Foundation (https://www.iwf.org.uk/).
Detective Inspector Mark Rogers, from the Met, added, “Thankfully, these type of crimes are rare. However, it is important that parents, guardians and everyone who works with young people takes an interest in what children are doing on the internet and educates them about the risks associated with using social media.
“The internet is a fantastic resource enabling young people to socialise and learn. Unfortunately, it can also be used by predatory offenders to target children. We will robustly investigate any child sex offences committed online, and I would urge any young person who has experienced unsolicited contact to report it to police.”
PC Maria Carrick, Hampshire Constabulary’s Education and Youth Engagement Coordinator, said ,“Young people are vulnerable to exploitation online, and in serious and worrying cases, adults pose as young people to groom and exploit them into engaging in sexual activity online, or trick them into meeting with the intention of physically causing sexual harm.
“This is what makes prevention so important and why we continue to actively work with young people, schools, parents and youth partners in a joined up approach to educate whole communities about the risks children face online, and the impact this can have on them and their families.
“We encourage parents and teachers not to be afraid to talk to children about their activities on social media and explain the importance of privacy, and thinking before uploading content online to help prevent them from becoming victims or perpetrators. This is key to developing young people’s trust and confidence to talk to you, someone else they trust or to report if they’re concerned about inappropriate contact they’ve had online.”
Horrifying details have come to light after the UK’s “most prolific” rapist is jailed in Manchester. He will serve a minimum of 30 years for his crimes.
A serial rapist who filmed himself attacking his victims after drugging them at his home in Manchester has been jailed.
Reynhard Sinaga (19/02/1983), of no fixed address, has today (Monday 6 January 2020) been sentenced to life imprisonment after being found guilty of 159 counts of sexual offences against 48 different men. He will serve a minimum of 30 years before being considered for release.
The sentencing – which took place at Manchester Crown Court, Crown Square – comes at the conclusion of four separate trials. The earlier trials were unable to be publicised due to reporting restrictions that were put in place to protect the integrity of the ongoing legal proceedings.
Targetting men who were alone and used GHB to drug them.
During the course of each trial, the court heard how Sinaga would target men who were alone and potentially vulnerable before approaching them in the street.
Sinaga would then strike up a conversation with his intended victim, before convincing them to come back to his home under false pretences, taking advantage of their trusting nature. Once inside he would offer them a drink which, unbeknownst to the men, would contain a substance – believed to be GHB – that would render them unconscious.
With his victim unconscious, Sinaga would rape and sexually assault the men whilst filming his horrific acts.
He was unknown to the police, but there might be 190 potential victims
Sinaga was completely unknown to police and his offending – which is believed to have taken place between 2005 and 2017 – only came to light in June 2017, when one of his victims woke up during one of the sickening attacks and fought him off.
After the incident was reported to police, the scale of his offending soon became apparent and he was swiftly arrested and charged before being remanded into custody.
Including the men that Sinaga has been found guilty of attacking, the investigation team found evidence linking over 190 potential victims to him.
Although the majority of these victims have been identified and provided with specialist support from St Mary’s Sexual Assault Referral Centre (SARC) and Survivors Manchester, there remain around 70 who have not yet been identified and detectives are keen to speak with them to ensure they have any support needed.
“Depraved”
Assistant Chief Constable Mabs Hussain, of Greater Manchester Police, said: “Reynhard Sinaga is a depraved individual, who targeted potentially vulnerable men that he had spotted walking on their own after a night out.
“He would strike up a conversation with them before leading them back to his flat under a false premise and drugging them before subjecting them to sickening abuse, all the while recording the attacks as they took place.
“Not much was known about Reynhard Sinaga prior to his final victim telling police of his ordeal and he had never previously come to the attention of GMP with regards to any criminal incidents.
“To the rest of the world he came across as an engaged member of society who was studying for a PHD qualification and had a small circle of law-abiding friends that he would socialise with. However beneath that façade was a serial sex offender, who we now believe to be Britain’s most prolific rapist. The fact that he was able to cover-up his true nature for so long, just serves as further evidence of his calculating criminal nature.
“I want to be clear that Sinaga is just one appalling individual and he should not be considered as being reflective of any community.
“I do not wish to waste another word on Reynhard Sinaga. Instead, I would now like to pay tribute to his victims, many of whom did not know for certain what had happened to them until they received a visit from the police, after they had been identified from the videos taken by Sinaga.
“I can only imagine how devastating this news must have been for them but the bravery that these men have shown in engaging with officers and support workers in an effort to come to terms with what happened is nothing short of incredible.
“Many of these men have stood up in court and provided evidence, which detailed the significant impact these offences have had on their lives. We appreciate this can be a daunting experience and it truly does take a lot of courage to stand up in court and tell your story.
“Finally, I would like to thank the investigation team for the meticulous work that they have put in since this inquiry was launched. They, along with colleagues from the Crown Prosecution Service, St Mary’s Sexual Assault Referral Centre and Survivors Manchester, have made supporting and seeking justice for those affected by Sinaga their absolute priority.
“Even with the video evidence, this was not a straight forward case and it required round the clock work, including consulting with subject matter experts, carrying out detailed research, arranging pre-trial court visits for witnesses and other vital tasks.
“Horrifying video evidence”
Hussain continued,
“Many of the team also had to sit and watch the horrifying videos that Sinaga created, which has undoubtedly had a personal impact on them. Without their work, there would be more victims out there who were unaware of exactly what had happened to them and without any specialist support being provided.
“I hope the work of the investigation team sends out a clear message that Greater Manchester Police is prepared to invest time and resources into bringing those who carry out sex offences to justice as well as work alongside partner agencies to provide victims with any support they need.”
“Brought to justice”
Bev Hughes, Greater Manchester’s Deputy Mayor for Policing, Crime and Criminal Justice, said: “Reynhard Sinaga is a vile individual who preyed upon his victims in a disturbing and depraved manner. Today, he has rightly been brought to justice.
“Both the nature of Sinaga’s appalling crimes and their scale are shocking. This has been a deeply distressing and disturbing case and I want to thank Greater Manchester Police (GMP), the Crown Prosecution Service and other partners for their relentless and meticulous work on what is believed to be the largest rape investigation in British judicial history.
“I particularly want to praise the victims and survivors for their bravery and courage throughout these trials – it has been an immensely challenging and upsetting time.
“The police, St Mary’s Sexual Assault Referral Centre, Survivors Manchester, Victim Support, the National Probation Service and other partner agencies have worked together to provide victims and survivors with the best possible support throughout the trials.
“I also want to echo GMP’s appeal for further victims of Sinaga to come forward, so we can ensure they get the support they need. I also want to urge anyone who has been a victim of any rape or sexual assault to come forward and report it to police, confident that they will receive the help and support they need.
“Greater Manchester is a resilient place. We have undergone traumas in the past and, together, come through them. Sinaga is an appalling individual, who acted alone and is now off our streets. He is in no way representative of our city-region and people should not be fearful of enjoying all that Manchester city centre has to offer.”
Police are still on the lookout for further potential victims
If you have been affected by this case or believe that you may have been a victim of Reynhard Sinaga, then please contact police or specialist support agencies using the contact details below.
All reports made to police will be fully investigated and Greater Manchester is nationally recognised as a model of good practice in terms of support services available to victims.
If you wish to speak to police and make a report relating to Reynhard Sinaga, then please contact: 0800 092 0410 (calls made from within the UK) / 0207158 0124 (international calls).
If you have been affected by this case and would like to seek support from specialist agencies, then please contact: 0800 056 0154 (calls made from within the UK) / 0207158 0011 (international calls).
A lone robber is thought to have stolen nearly £1400 worth of donations after a break-in at a LGBT+ venue in Manchester.
Owners of the Eagle Bar in Manchester have released CCTV images of a person they believe has broken into their premises stealing nearly £1400 of money that was donated by its patrons for World AIDS Day.
According to their report, a man broke in at 7:30 AM on the 3rd December, using the fire exit. Using a crowbar, they allege that he entered the offices where he emptied the donation buckets and stole the safe.
“He stole from you”
The bar owners wrote,
“He not only stole from us, but he also stole from you. These were YOUR donations, YOUR hard-earned money. He stole from all of our generous performers who gave their time and he also stole from The LGBT Foundation and The George House Trust – not caring about the good that this money would do for the people who need it most.
“We’re relieved that none of our team were on the premises at the time of this incident and can confirm that everyone here is safe and well.
The bar also added that all transactions that were done by contactless were safe and sound.
Reward from a customer
A customer has put up a reward for anyone who can identify the man. The bar’s owners wrote,
“One of our very loyal and generous customers has put up a reward of £2000, paid to anyone who provides information to the police leading to this person’s arrest and conviction.
“They’ve stated that, in their own words:- “I would love to prove to this person that his arrest is worth more than what he stole.”
“Manchester is a beautiful city, with great residents. But we can make it even better by sending a clear message from our communities and handing people like this over to the authorities so that they can be dealt with appropriately.
Donation still made
The bar will still make a donation today, topping up the money that was stolen. In a statement, they said,
“Cash in the buckets totalled £1398.25. In respect of this, Eagle will today make a donation of £2K to the Manchester World AIDS Day Partnership to cover this theft with a donation of our own on top.
Three teenage boys have pleaded guilty to Public Order Act and other offences following a police investigation into a homophobic incident on the N31 bus route.
The three suspects, aged between 15 and 16 years, appeared at Highbury Magistrates’ Court today (Thursday, 28 November) following a hate crime incident against two females on the N31 bus in the early hours of Thursday, 30 May.
They will be sentenced on Monday, 23 December.
[A] a 16-year-old boy pleaded guilty to handling stolen goods (namely a phone) and two offences contrary to section 5 of the public order act.
[B] a 16-year-old boy pleaded guilty to a section 4a of the public order act offence (namely an aggravated hate crime). A Newton hearing will take place tomorrow (Friday, 29 November) for [B].
[D] a 15-year-old boy pleaded guilty to handling stolen goods (namely a bank card) and two offences contrary to section 4a of the public order act (namely an aggravated hate crime).
The investigating officer, Detective Constable Darren Barlow, from the Met’s Roads and Transport Command (RTPC), said:
“No one should ever be victimised because of their sexuality and I hope that this result brings some form of closure to both victims and they can put this ordeal behind them.
Detective Superintendent Andy Cox, from the Met’s Roads and Transport Command, said:
“Any Hate Crime on London’s transport network, or anywhere else in London, will absolutely not be tolerated. The Met’s RTPC officers will always fully investigate crimes that are committed on the bus network and we would urge anyone who has been a victim of crime to contact us.
“The transport network in London is, and remains, extremely safe and occurrences of this nature are few-and-far between.”
Mandy McGregor, Head of Transport Policing and Community Safety at TfL, said:
“This sickening incident was utterly unacceptable. Homophobic abuse is a hate crime and won’t be tolerated on our network. All of our customers have the right to travel without fear of verbal or physical abuse.
“We hope this case reminds all of our customers that they should accept everyone for who they are and they have absolutely no right to abuse them.”
At approximately 0230hrs on Thursday, 30 May, two women, both aged in their 20s, boarded the bus in West Hampstead.
As they sat on the top deck, they were approached by a group of males who began to make lewd and homophobic comments and gestures to them.
A fight ensued which left both victims with wounds to their faces after being punched several times by the suspects and a phone and bag were stolen.
Officers and London’s Ambulance Service (LAS) attended and both females were taken to hospital for treatment to facial injuries.
Officers from the Met’s Roads and Transport Command identified the suspects and arrested four men, aged between 15-17 on Friday, 7 June, on suspicion of robbery and aggravated GBH. They were taken to separate London police stations for questioning.
A fifth male, 16-years-old, was arrested on Saturday, 8 June on suspicion of robbery and aggravated GBH. All five were bailed to a date in early-July.
On Thursday, 25 July, four males [A, B, C and D] where charged. They appeared at Highbury Corner Youth Court on Wednesday, 21 August and were bailed until today.
At court today, charges were dropped against [C].
Detective Superintendent Waheed Khan, the Met’s lead for Hate Crime, concluded:
“London is such a diverse and tolerant city and I know that the public were rightly outraged that something of this nature could take place in our city.
“Hate crime affects people from all walks of life, and impacts on communities across London. The Met does not tolerate any form of discrimination, and is committed to working with partners, including MOPAC, to robustly tackle hate crime.
“We would urge hate crime victims who have not spoken to police to come forward and tell us about incidents so they can be fully investigated.”
A young man was assaulted in a homophobic attack on the streets of Salford, Manchester, police have said and now they are looking for a group of young people in connection with the incident.
A man, in his 20s, was walking along Lower Broughton Road near the junction with Clarence Street at around 5.15 pm on Saturday 23 November 2019 when he was subjected to homophobic abuse and hit by a plastic bottle.
He stopped to challenge a group of around six people and, as he walked away, was punched from behind causing him to fall to the ground.
He was then subjected to further abuse and at least two people are believed to have continued attacking him while he was on the ground.
Motorist Hero
The offenders ran away when a passing motorist stopped to help.
The victim required hospital treatment for face and arm injuries and has since been discharged.
Two of the men are described as being white, around 19-years-old and dressed in black sportswear. One is described as having ginger hair and the other blonde curly hair. There were two girls in the group, one is described as wearing a red winter coat.
Officers are appealing for eyewitnesses and the public’s help to identify those responsible.
Detective Constable Derek Nellany of GMP’s Salford Division said:
“This was a hate crime and serious assault.
“We know there was at least one motorist who stopped and we are appealing for any others who saw what happened to contact us.
“We are determined to find those responsible and bring them to justice as we strongly condemn this behaviour.”
Anyone with any information about the assault should contact police on 0161 856 5251 quoting incident number 2496 of Saturday 23 November 2019.
