15-year-old Jamie Watson of Birmingham, England was left covered in blood and fearful for his life after a gang of masked individuals yelling homophobic slurs attacked him shortly after the bell rang on the last day of school. Watson was left with broken ribs, a fractured arm, and numerous cuts and bruises all over his body.
Watson, who had recently come out as bisexual, told police that the three youths who attacked him had previously shouted anti-gay slurs at him.
“The assault lasted five minutes. I was punched and fell to the ground, where I was kicked and punched all over my body including my head,” Watson told the Birmingham Mail. “It was absolutely terrifying and I feared for my life.”
“I was in a lot of pain and was taken to Heartlands Hospital. I was struggling to breathe and was left with broken ribs, a fracture to my arm and cuts and bruises,” he said. “I also had damage to the muscles in my neck due to the force of the kicks to my head.”
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“It was a terrifying experience and I staggered home covered in blood.”
The teenager has gone to live with his grandparents for the summer break in classes, but his mom pointed out that it isn’t a permanent solution.
“Jamie has now gone to my mother and father’s home, where he can at least go out of his front door without feeling threatened,” she said. “This is a solution over the school summer holidays but is not the long-term answer. He feels like a prisoner in his own home.”
“We are trawling CCTV for any clues and want to speak to anyone who was in the area at the time and who may have seen the attack to come forward,” police detective Sergeant James Bennett told the Mail. “At this stage we believe the attackers could be local and we are sure someone knows who these men are. This was a truly horrendous attack that left the teenager with severe injuries that needed hospital treatment.”
“The attackers showed no regard for their victim and repeatedly kicked him to the head and body. Rest assured that we will do everything we can to find those responsible. I would also like to directly appeal to those responsible to do the right thing and come forward as it is only a matter of time before we come knocking at their doors.”
