Man hit with bottle in homophobic attack in Birmingham

A man had a wine bottle thrown at his head in a homophobic attack in Birmingham city centre, police said.

John-Paul Kesseler was walking home hand-in-hand with a man at about 05:00 on Sunday after a night in the city's Gay Village.

The 38-year-old said a man by a car on Holloway Circus saw them and shouted "you should not be doing that".

He then assaulted Mr Kesseler before driving away.

Mr Kesseler, from Moseley, said he had not responded aggressively to the heckle but said "what me"? At this point, the man grabbed a wine bottle from his car.

"The next thing I know, I have been attacked," said Mr Kesseler.

"I was very lucky, he had a bad aim, it was a glancing blow which cut my eyebrow open and left me dazed."

Mr Kesseler added he had taken out his phone to call police when he saw the man had a pole and was walking back towards him.

"He went to swing and hit me with the pole and I put my arm up to block it, going 'what are you doing'? He hit me once, got in his car and drove away."

John-Paul Kesseler was attacked with a wine bottle and a pole

Mr Kesseler said he was not shocked to be assaulted as he was aware of other homophobic attacks in the city recently.

In August, a couple were injured with bottles and had homophobic abuse shouted at them outside the Missing Bar in the Gay Village.

Mr Kesseler said: "Everything seems to be turning on its head - people are more open with their hatred, people feel emboldened to act on their prejudices.

"It upsets me, it sucks, but it certainly doesn't surprise me."

The events of Sunday morning were compounded when he received more abuse while waiting for emergency services.

One passerby said "you were asking for it" while another said "we don't like that LGBT stuff", Mr Kesseler said.

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Mr Kesseler was treated in hospital for a laceration to his eyebrow and bruising to his elbow before doctors discharged him.

West Midlands Police said officers took an initial statement from Mr Kesseler and would take a fuller statement on Monday.

The force said it would review CCTV in the area and promised to listen to anyone targeted by a hate crime and take action.