Birmingham police arrest man over brutal homophobic attack on Pinoy and his husband in the UK
Police are still searching for two more individuals in connection with the violent attack in Birmingham, England’s Gay Village.
Warning: graphic images below
A 31-year-old man, believed to be Mosin Mahmood, handed himself in to one of the police stations on Aug. 22, Sunday, after the West Midlands Police issued an appeal for information on the whereabouts of three men related to the incident.
The suspect was arrested on suspicion of wounding and remains in custody of the police.
Officers said in a statement that they are still looking for two Birmingham men—Sohail Khan, 24, and Isaaq Ayaz, 21—who are also suspected to be involved in the assault.
Upon initial investigation, detectives said those men in the car were described as having Middle Eastern or Asian appearance.
At 4 a.m. on Aug. 15, a Filipino man named Patrick and his husband Rob was reportedly attacked by four men, who hurled homophobic slurs at them. The couple sustained wounds and injuries from the attack.
Speaking to the BBC, Rob recounted that they were outside the Missing Bar in Birmingham’s Gay Village, known for its lively environment and vibrant LGBTQ community, when they saw men in an SUV with balloons in their car and asked them jokingly if it was their birthday.
“They did not like that and went into all sort of foul language, including homophobic slurs directed at us,” Rob said.
Patrick tried to film the encounter but one of the suspects grabbed his phone. One of the couple’s female friends was dragged and was almost run over by the SUV as she tried to retrieve Patrick’s phone.
Rob then chased the men but when their vehicle stopped, the suspects reportedly went down the SUV and beat him up with bottles.
Patrick was about to run to help his husband but “someone from the car got out and hit me from behind my head and I blacked out.”
Thank you @LindaRiley8 and @LGBTconstruct for the help, love & support you and your followers have given us. The words of encouragement help us get through the traumatic incident, something we never wish on anyone. We’re both recovering & positive that justice will prevail. https://t.co/81zfCqJoYi
— Patrick & Robert (@Patrick_and_Rob) August 19, 2021
The couple was left bloodied and suffered lacerations and cuts. They were brought to the hospital where they were treated further.
In an interview with Birmingham Mail, Rob recalled, "They (the men) have no business at the Gay Village at 4 a.m. except for trying to start fights with gay people."
On Aug. 22, Sergeant Marc Petford said, “We’ve had a good response to our appeal and I’m grateful for people sharing it far and wide. This was a brutal attack and we need to find the people responsible.”
In an earlier statement, Petford noted, “This was a shocking homophobic attack on two men enjoying a night out in our city. It’s outrageous and we’re determined to bring to justice the people responsible.”
Meanwhile, Patrick and Rob, who are in recovery, recently set up a Twitter account specifically to thank those who support them through their ordeal.
The police have been very much on top of this and doing a good job in keeping us updated in finding the suspects. Unfortunately, we cannot comment on details about the investigation at this point. But really, we appreciate everyone’s well wishes and support! ❤️
— Patrick & Robert (@Patrick_and_Rob) August 19, 2021