'Hate will not win' pledge after Birmingham homophobic attacks

More police patrols and support for victims of hate crime have been promised after homophobic attacks in Birmingham.

On Sunday, a man had a wine bottle thrown at his head after a night in the city's Gay Village.

Earlier this year, a couple were injured with bottles and had homophobic abuse shouted at them.

"Everyone has a right to feel safe on our streets", civic and police leaders said in a joint statement.

The city council has been developing a safe space for people in the Gay Village, the statement said.

The statement has been issued by the region's police and crime commissioner (PCC), Simon Foster, mayor Andy Street and council leader Ian Ward.

They said the recent homophobic attacks "disgust the three of us" and "hate will not win".

The victim of Sunday's assault, John-Paul Kesseler, said a man attacked him with a bottle and then a pole because he was holding hands with another man.

He 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 hurt and had abuse shouted at them outside the Missing Bar in the Gay Village.

The director of Birmingham Pride said he was deeply concerned at the string of homophobic attacks in the city

Lawrence Barton, director of Birmingham Pride, said he was deeply concerned by the attacks and called for more police in the area.

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The PCC said police patrols have been increased in and around the Gay Village and a new £200,000 service to support victims of hate crime has been commissioned.

As well as developing a safe space for people who might feel vulnerable in the area, the city council said it is providing free hate crime training to local businesses.

The three leaders said the West Midlands Combined Authority has also been working to improve night-time safety by looking at CCTV and public transport.

They said in their statement they were proud of the region's diversity and they wanted "to root out these crimes and to bring the perpetrators to justice".