Police arrest three suspects after horrific Birmingham Gay Village attack
Rob (L) and Patrick (R) were attacked by a group of men in Birmingham. (Provided)
Police have arrested three men suspected of committing a violent attack on a same-sex couple in Birmingham’s Gay Village earlier this month.
The victims, Rob and his husband Patrick, were left covered in blood after being beaten with glass bottles in the early hours of Sunday, 15 August.
Both men needed hospital treatment after the attack, as did their female friend who was injured after being dragged by a moving vehicle.
After issuing a public appeal for three suspects, Ishaaq Ayaz, Mosin Mahmood and Sohail Khan, West Midlands Police confirmed on Thursday (26 August) that arrests had been made.
A statement said that a 24-year-old and 21-year-old were arrested on suspicion of robbery and wounding on Monday (23 August) and have been bailed while investigations continue. Police reportedly made “numerous attempts” to arrest the pair.
A 31-year-old man was arrested a few days prior on Saturday (21 August) after handing himself in to police. This man has now also been bailed.
Detective inspector Michelle Cordell from Force CID said: “Everyone should feel safe and comfortable to be who they are, we will not tolerate people being targeted in this way.
“We are proud to police our diverse communities and will not stand for hatred directed towards people because of their race, religion, sexual orientation, disability, or gender identity.
“Less than two weeks after the Bromsgrove Street attack, we have now traced and apprehended three suspects and our investigation remains active. We also want to thank those members of the public who supported our appeal.”
Ishaaq Ayaz, Mosin Mahmood and Sohail Khan have been named as persons of interest in an investigation into a hate crime in Birmingham. (West Midlands Police)
The victims told PinkNews they’d tried to start up a conversation with the group of men, but it quickly descended into violence and homophobic slurs.
Patrick tried to record the men on his phone so they could take the footage to police, which prompted them to steal his phone and push him to the ground.
“If they had knives in their car instead of bottles, then I think I would probably be still in hospital,” Rob said.
“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. It’s horrible, and I hope they get found and have to atone for what they did.”
Following the attack high visibility officers have been patrolling the area in Birmingham to remind the public of “the full range of support services and guidance available to them”.
