A Leeds homeless man has spoken out about his harrowing life, revealing how he's “spat on, kicked and punched" by passers-by and even "urinated on by students”.
Gary Horton, 41, says the students were laughing at him and calling him a "tramp". He said he felt "more upset than angry".
Gary is "embarrassed and ashamed" of his predicament, ever since he became homeless three years ago. He “lost everything” from his life in Cookridge where he worked as a builder.
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The rough sleeper describes himself as a “a loner” who spends a lot of his time in the “bottom end” of the city-centre begging. He says he sleeps in the stairwells of car parks because they are “quiet and warm - well, not warm but warmer”.
Gary was curled up fast asleep on a car park stairwell when he says a student urinated all over him. He said: “I’ve been attacked. I’ve been urinated on while I’ve been asleep, spat on and kicked.
"A student urinated on me, there were about two or three of them. They were just laughing and calling me a tramp. I got out of my sleeping bag and chased them. I was more upset than angry.”
The rough sleeper says it has been taking a toll on his mental health as it's been hurting his feelings. He never thought his life would turn out like this.
Gary said: “People don’t treat me very well. I’ve been spat on, kicked, punched. It hurts my feelings. People should take a step back and think, it could be you, it could be anybody. It can happen to anyone, I never thought it would happen to me.
“I feel embarrassed, I’m sat on the floor asking for change. My family are embarrassed and ashamed. I have thought of going back to them but I’m embarrassed and ashamed of myself.”
If you are concerned for someone on the street, you can report it here . Leeds homeless charities which can be contacted include St. George's Crypt, St. Anne's Resource Centre, York Street Health Practice and Forward Leeds.
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