Appeal after youths assault men and subject them to homophobic abuse

Police are appealing for witnesses following a report that a group of youths assaulted two men and subjected them to homophobic abuse in Cheltenham.

It was reported that the victims were walking near to Starbucks on the Promenade at around 7pm on Wednesday 16 October when three youths barged into, kicked them and went on to shout homophobic abuse.

Both men were left shaken but uninjured.

The boys, who were wearing tracksuits, were described as being between the ages of 12 and 16.

Officers would like to hear from anyone who witnessed the incident or has CCTV or dashcam footage which they feel is relevant.

Information can be submitted by completing the following online form and quoting incident 413 of 16 October: https://www.gloucestershire.police.uk/tua/tell-us-about/cor/tell-us-about-existing-case-report/

The Force has dedicated police and victim support hate crime coordinators who work alongside a strategic hate crime partnership to tackle hate.

If you have been affected by hate crime, you can contact the local victim care team in Gloucestershire on 0808 281 0112 or online at: https://www.victimsupport.org.uk/