Warning: Contains upsetting imagery. Birmingham police have arrested one man and named another two suspects following a brutal homophobic attack on a married couple in the city’s Gay Village.

The married couple, referred to by their first names, Rob and Patrick, had visited the Gay Village after coming to Birmingham for a friend’s party. While standing outside a gay bay, they were targeted by the men who were parked nearby in an SUV and pelted with homophobic abuse.

One of the assailants stole a mobile phone when Patrick attempted to film the abuse, and when the couple’s friend put her hand in the car window to try and retrieve it, the men allegedly drove off, dragging her along.

Rob ran after the SUV, and when he caught up to it at a traffic light, the men got out and proceeded to beat him with bottles. Patrick was knocked unconscious when trying to intervene.

Patrick explained, “We had come up from Oxfordshire for a friend’s birthday party that night. It was a nice night out and there had been guys sat in front of the bar in an SUV. We tried to be nice to them, I said: ‘Is it your birthday?’ or something and they started yelling at us and calling us homophobic names.”

In an interview with the BBC, Patrick continued, “It’s just shocking that would happen in 2021 in the UK. Especially in the Gay Village – that should be a safe area to be who you want and not have to tolerate people yelling homophobic remarks at you.”

West Midlands Police released the statement “We’ve arrested a man wanted over a violent attack on two men in Birmingham’s Gay Village – and are continuing our efforts to find two more suspects.

“A 31-year-old man handed himself into one of our police stations yesterday after we issued an appeal for information on the whereabouts of three men. He’s been arrested on suspicion of wounding and remains in custody. We’re still searching for Birmingham men Sohail Khan (24) and 21-year-old Ishaaq Ayaz.”

Sergeant Marc Petford added, “This was a brutal attack and we need to find the people responsible.”