Police name three suspects after gay couple were violently assaulted in Birmingham
Ishaaq Ayaz, Mosin Mahmood and Sohail Khan have been named as persons of interest in an investigation into a homophobic hate crime in Birmingham. (West Midlands Police)
Police have named three men they want to speak to as part of their investigation into a brutal “homophobic” attack in Birmingham’s Gay Village.
There was widespread shock last weekend (15 August) when photos were circulated online of a gay couple, called Rob and Patrick, covered in blood following a homophobic attack.
Rob told PinkNews that one of their mobile phones was stolen in the attack and they were beaten with glass bottles. Both men and a female friend received hospital treatment afterwards.
The men used homophobic slurs during the attack, which left Rob in need of numerous stitches.
Rob (L) and Patrick (R) were attacked by a group of men in Birmingham. (Provided)
West Midlands Police has now identified three suspects they want to speak to as part of their inquiries into the attack following extensive CCTV, witness and vehicle enquiries, detectives said in a statement.
The men have been named as Sohail Khan, 24, Mosin Mahmood, 31, and Ishaaq Ayaz, 21. All three men are from Birmingham.
Anybody with information on the men’s whereabouts is being urged to call 101 or to contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.
Police ask suspects to ‘hand themselves in’ following homophobic attack in Birmingham
Sergeant Marc Petford from Force CID described the attack on Rob and Patrick as “outrageous” in a statement.
“We have already completed a number of arrest attempts for the men; I would encourage them to hand themselves in and speak to us,” Petford said.
“This was a shocking homophobic attack on two men enjoying a night out in our city. It’s outrageous and we’re determined to bring to justice the people responsible.”
Rob and Patrick, who live in Oxfordshire, were assaulted in Birmingham’s Gay Village after travelling to the city for a friend’s housewarming party.
Later in the night, they decided to go to the Gay Village with friends. When standing outside the Missing Bar on Bromsgrove Street, they were targeted by a group of men in an SUV who shouted homophobic abuse at them.
The assailants went on to steal one of the men’s phones. The couple’s female friend was injured after she stuck her hand through an open window in the car to try and retrieve the device. The men started driving the car, allegedly dragging her along the road for a moment in the process.
Rob ran after the men and caught up to them when they were stopped at traffic lights. There, the assailants got out of the vehicle and started hitting him with glass bottles while calling him a “f****t”.
“I don’t know why on Earth these guys think a fun Saturday night is going down to the Gay Village at four in the morning to call people f****ts outside a gay bar,” Rob told PinkNews on Monday (16 August).
“It’s horrible, and I hope they get found and have to atone for what they did.”
