A man was seriously injured during a homophobic attack in a city centre gay bar.
Police were called to Superstar Boudoir nightclub, on Stanley Street, at around 2am on Thursday, January 20, after reports of an assault. At the scene police found the victim had suffered serious injuries and was left extremely shaken.
The victim believes that the incident was a homophobic and police are treating the assault as a hate crime. After the attack, witnesses claimed to have seen the suspect leave the scene on foot.
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Officers have now released images and video footage of a man they believe could assist with their investigation. Detective Inspector Steven O’Neill said: "To be attacked in this manner is utterly despicable, and we’re determined to find the person responsible.
"We will not stand by and let people be subject to such attacks because of who they are and we are determined to remove homophobia and transphobia from our communities. Everyone should be free to go out and enjoy themselves safely in Liverpool City Centre and beyond, and we will do all we can to keep our streets free from violence and abuse.
"I am appealing to anyone who recognises the man featured in this images, to come forward. We believe he could hold vital information to our continuing enquiries.
"We understand that Superstar Boudoir was busy during the time of the incident as there was a birthday celebration taking place. If you were in Superstar Boudoir or on Stanley Street on the 20th January at around 2am and saw anything, then please let us know.
"While a few months have passed since the incident, if you recognise this man, or these images jog your memory then we want to hear from you. You can contact us directly or anonymously via Crimestoppers - however you choose to let us know, please tell us and we will take action."
Anyone with information is asked to contact Merseyside Police social media desk via Twitter @MerPolCC or Facebook Merseyside Police Contact Centre with reference 22000045370. You can also call 101 or contact the independent charity Crimestoppers anonymously, on 0800 555 111 or via their online form at: https://crimestoppers-uk.org/give-information/give-information.
If, for any reason, you do not wish to report a hate crime to the police, the independent charity Stop Hate UK to run a 24/7 confidential helpline for all victims of hate crime on 0800 138 1625 or www.stophateuk.org. You can also download the Stop Hate UK reporting app on Google Play or the Apple App Store.
