Crime

Police hunt for thugs who broke man’s jaw in Brighton homophobic attack

Aug 06 2018
Written by Ella Braidwood

Sussex Police has released images of three men suspected of breaking a man’s jaw, and giving his friend facial injuries, in a homophobic attack.

The police force has released CCTV images of the trio and are calling on the public to help identify them.

The three men went to Seaside Kebabs in Kings Road, at around4.30am on Thursday 7 June, where they allegedly made “derogatory comments about homosexuality.”

They started arguing with two other men, a 21-year from Suffolk, and a 22-year old from Gloucestershire, who were subsequently attacked.

The 21-year old suffered a broken jaw and a cut to his face, which needed stitches, while the 22-year old man received “minor facial injuries.”

“Police investigating a homophobic related assault have released CCTV images of three suspects,” a press release on Sussex Police’s website reads.

It adds: “Initial enquiries have not led to the suspects, described as three Asian men, being identified and officers are now seeking help from the public.”

It is believed the three men could be from London.

Sussex Police is calling on anybody who recognises the suspects to report this online or call 101, quoting serial 146 of 07/06.

Sussex Police is calling on the public to help identify three men suspected of breaking a man’s jaw in a homophobic assault.(Christopher Furlong/Getty Images)

In July, a report found that police forces in England and Wales need to tackle “significant problems” in the handling of hate crimes.

The publication – compiled by Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services – concluded that the police response in 89 out of the 180 hate crime cases it reviewed “wasn’t good enough.”

The watchdog found that it took police an average of five days see 73 victims – and that 65 were not visited at all.

The report also noted that there were “sharp increases” in reported hate crimes following a number of specific events, including immediately after the Brexit vote and after the Westminster Bridge attack in March 2017.

Home Office stats released in October last year revealed a shocking surge of homophobic hate crime in England and Wales in 2016/17, in the wake of the Brexit vote.

Reports of hate crimes relating to sexual orientation surged by a massive 27 percent in just one year, from 7,194 to 9,157.

Home Office statistics released in October 2017 showed a surge in homophobic hate crimes. (Nick Duffy/PinkNews)

Across all types of hate crime, reports surged from 62,518 the year before to 80,393.

The Home Office explained: “In 2016/17, the police recorded 9,157 sexual orientation hate crimes, 5,558 disability hate crimes and 1,248 transgender identity hate crimes.

“The percentage increases in these three strands observed in 2016/17 were similar to those observed in 2015/16 when compared with the previous year.

“The sharp rise in all three strands suggests that the increases are due to the police improving their identification and recording of hate crime offences and more people coming forward to report these crimes rather than a genuine increase.

“Sexual orientation hate crime was the second most commonly recorded hate crime in the vast majority of forces (37 of 44).”