Couple traumatised after being chased and beaten in horrific homophobic attack

A couple have been left traumatised and suffering from daily panic attacks after being chased and viciously beaten in a horrific homophobic assault.

Sunday Russell, 29, from Glasgow, was enjoying a night out with partner Martina Bressamutti, 28, and some other friends at a bar in Venice, Italy, at the time of the incident on February 13, Daily Record reports.

As the night went on, the boyfriend of a female friend in the group became aggressive towards his girlfriend, and homophobic towards Sunday and their partner.

After the man was finally asked to leave, he dragged Sunday out onto the street, restraining them as he rained down a brutal flurry of punches to the face.

They said: "My face was on the ground and he was hitting me and restraining me.

Sunday and Martina have been left shaken and suffering with daily panic attacks (Collect)

Sunday also sustained serious injuries to their hand (Collect)

"He was being homophobic and transphobic and telling me he was going to kill me and kick my face in. It was so scary."

Sunday's partner Martina had managed to pull the man off them by the time local carabinieri, Italian paramilitary police, arrived at the scene.

Sunday has been left with a severe metacarpal fracture in their right hand following the assault.

They said: "I couldn’t move my body after the attack, Martina has had to become a full-time carer for me.

Sunday said they were so badly injured their partner has become her full-time carer (Collect)

“My body is still quite battered, I feel like I’ve been smacked by bus.”

The 'traumatised' couple have been left struggling to get over the horrifying incident, as they suffer from 'daily' panic attacks.

Sunday said: “We’re completely traumatised. Every day, when we hear a noise or a door we’re having panic attacks.

“We’re going to try to get some sort of emergency counselling as we deal with the mental trauma of what has happened.

"He was foaming from the mouth, I've never seen someone act like that."

The couple say the man involved has not faced charges and they have secured a lawyer in Venice to help with their case.

Sunday, who flew back to Scotland via Milan on February 16 with Martina, is set to undergo surgery on their hand.

The injury has left them unable to work and the recovery after surgery is set to take at least six months.

The couple, who had been hoping to make a permanent move to Venice, have set up a fundraiser amid mounting costs.

As well as legal fees, the funds will support Sunday while they can’t work and go towards paying the £600 medical bill incurred in Italy.

The Foreign Office has been contacted for comment.

You can donate to their fundraiser here .