Police have released security camera images of five men who attacked a gay couple in a train in the UK several weeks ago.
On Valentine’s Day, Phil Poole, 35, and Zbynek Zatloukal, 26, had fallen asleep late at night on the London-bound train from Reading. Poole was woken up when he was punched in the face.
“I can’t really remember much about what happened because I was in such shock when I woke up,” Poole told the Evening Standard. “I managed to get up and stumble down the carriageway but then they followed me. I’m not a violent person at all. I’ve never even been punched so I didn’t even know how to defend myself.”
Zatloukal was knocked unconscious. Both had to be carried away in a stretcher and taken to a hospital.
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Poole lost his two front teeth in the attack and Zatloukal’s eye socket was broken. Both suffered cuts and bruising.
Police have released CCTV images of five men suspected of perpetrating the attack. One of them has already come forward.
Police spokesperson Peter Taylor said, “This was a very nasty assault committed by a group of men who attacked two other men while they were sleeping on the train. The victims believe the motivation for the attack was that the offenders thought they were gay.[…] Hate crimes such as this will absolutely not be tolerated by British Transport Police. I would like to speak to anyone who recognizes the men shown in the CCTV images as they may have information which could help with the investigation.”
