Man assaulted in suspected homophobic pub attack

Archie Stevenson pleaded guilty to assault occasioning actual bodily harm

A man who pushed another man down a set of stairs in a suspected homophobic attack has been given a 12-month suspended jail sentence.

Archie Stevenson, 28, attacked the victim, a man in his 40s, at the Hoggs and Heifers pub in Bentham in the Yorkshire Dales in September 2024.

North Yorkshire Police said the victim, who lost consciousness in the attack, told officers he believed he was "targeted because of his sexual orientation".

PC Ruth Daley said: "Thankfully incidents of this nature are fairly rare, but this outcome sends out a clear message that this behaviour will not be tolerated".

The force said the man had been been enjoying a drink with his husband in the pub when he was attacked shortly after 21:00 BST.

As he went to use the toilets Stevenson pushed him down a steep flight of narrow stairs, according to police.

As well as losing consciousness, the victim sustained "a large cut" to the back of his head, a cut to his left ear, a black eye and a swollen knee.

"The victim reported the incident to the police as he is very much of the opinion that he was targeted because of his sexual orientation," the spokesperson added.

They said the victim told officers that earlier in the evening a group of men in the pub had used a homophobic term to describe him.

Police said that as a result of the incident the victim and his partner had made the decision to sell their caravan and now no longer visit the Yorkshire Dales.

Stevenson, of New Road to Halsteads in Thornton in Lonsdale, Ingleton, pleaded guilty to assault occasioning actual bodily harm.

He was also ordered to pay £1,000 compensation, given 150 hours of unpaid work, five rehabilitation days and made the subject of a 100-day alcohol abstinence order.

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