A disabled Newcastle United fan has been robbed of the "only enjoyment" in his life by a cruel bus passenger who mocked him on his way home from the match.
Luke Walker, who has cerebral palsy, is a devoted Newcastle United fan and season ticket holder who regularly makes the trip from his home in Yarm, to Newcastle to watch his beloved team play.
But the 36-year-old has now started watching the match at home after he was subjected to cruel verbal abuse by a fellow bus passenger after the Aston Villa game.
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Police are treating the incident, in October, as a suspected hate crime and have released images of a woman they want to speak to.
And today as the hunt goes on, Luke's partner has told how the vile abuse had robbed him of one of the only pleasures he has in his life.
Sophie Garner said: "Newcastle United are his favourite team. Going to the match is the only enjoyment he has in his life, but he's resorted to just watching it at home now."
And Luke added: "She made me feel uncomfortable and gave me low self-esteem and it makes me nervous for going out and about. "I’m somebody who likes getting out and meeting people but now that has all went. I hope that this doesn’t happen to anybody else as it’s a bad experience."
Cerebral Palsy is a lifelong condition that affects movement and co-ordination. It has left Luke wheelchair bound and he needs the help of carers to get around and communicate.
On Saturday October 29 Luke and Sophie, travelled to Newcastle by bus, as they do for most home games.
And after enjoying the Toon's 4-0 victory over the Villa the couple returned to Eldon Square bus depot to catch the X10 home.
But while waiting to board the bus another passenger took exception to Luke and Sophie not joining the same queue as everyone else.
"As we always do while we are waiting for the bus, we go to the side of the waiting area so the bus driver could see there is a wheelchair that would like to go to the bus," Luke explained. "Then a woman started to get annoyed with us as she thought that we were jumping the queue to get on the bus first.
"When the bus came the woman went to the font of the queue to go on the bus first. She told the bus driver to not let us go on as we jumped the queue."
The stranger then started mocking Luke, whose condition causes him to make involuntary movements.
He added: "She was taking the mick out of me as I have got involuntary movements."
Sophie, who is a full-time carer for Luke, said the woman also blocked the seats closest to his wheelchair meaning she could not sit next to her partner for the journey.
And the 26-year-old was forced to watch on helplessly from the back of the bus as Luke was abused.
"I could see from the back of the bus that she was saying something to him," said Sophie. "She was also mocking his movements because he can't control his hands.
"I came down to the front and said; 'why are you taking the mick out of a disabled bloke'. There were so many other people that pushed to the front of the queue but she was targeting Luke.
Sophie reported the incident to Northumbria Police and an investigation was launched. Sophie said Luke had never experienced this kind of abuse before, and that the incident had hit him hard."
"I can tell when Luke is upset because he doesn't make eye contact with anyone," she said.
"He's got to the point when he's thinking he can't get the bus and he can't go to the match. Most people see there is a wheelchair trying to get on the bus and say 'you go first'."
Anyone with any information should call Northumbria Police on 101 quoting the log number 128189L/22.
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