8:00pm Tuesday 28th July 2009
By Ben Perrin
AN OLD Town man was attacked in what he described as a “hate crime” because he is homosexual.
The 38-year-old man, who asked to remain anonymous, was walking home after a night out at the Pink Rooms club in Victoria Road.
He was set upon by two men who were walking along Eastcott Road, near South Street, Old Town, at about 4.30am on Sunday.
They asked the man why he had red glitter on the left side of his face.
The victim said that after an angry exchange of words which included a number of taunts about his sexuality, he was punched in the face by a white man. He was then repeatedly kicked on the floor by a man of mixed race.
“This attack is hard to take and something that has appalled me,” he said.
“It was horrific. I have never experienced anything like this before.
“It was a hate crime. They hated me because I’m gay and that is the thing that makes it worse for me.”
The man said he suffered a bruised neck, bruising to the right side of his body and a painful lower back.
He was walking home with a 22-year-old man, who is not gay, after striking up a conversation when walking into Old Town.
“I didn’t want to run away,” he said.
“I wanted to stand up for myself. They were so aggressive and they were shouting at me even when I was on the phone to the police.”
The white man was described by the victim as quite broad with toned muscles, about 25-years-old, with short black spiky hair.
He was wearing a T-shirt and knee-length shorts.
The mixed race man was also in his mid-20s. He was wearing a T-shirt and trousers.
Both were said to be about 5ft 10in to 6ft tall.
Duty Inspector Bill Giles, of Swindon Police, said: “An incident of this kind is an extremely rare occurrence in Swindon. We get drunken brawls in town around that time, but for the victim to be picked on because of his sexuality is rare.”
Helen O’Gorman, the owner of the Pink Rooms, said she was shocked to hear of the attack.
“We’ve been here three years now and this is the first time anything like this has happened,” she said.
“We always advise people they should take care when going home. It’s on our cocktail menu as a reminder.
“We have strong links with LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender) groups and gay liaison officers if anyone needs further support.
“Take a taxi home and don’t leave on your own.
“That goes for any young man or woman.”
If you have any information that may help police with their investigation, please call Swindon Police on 0845 408 7000 or Crimestoppers, where information can be left anonymously, on 0800 555 111.
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