OUTRAGE OVER ATTACK ON GAY POLICEMAN

Liverpool’s gay community is up in arms following an attack on a 22 year old openly gay trainee police officer.

James Parkes was viciously beaten by a group of around 20 teenagers in Liverpool’s gay district in the city centre on Sunday night.

He had left a nightclub with four friends when they were targeted by the group who shouted out homophobic slurs before becoming violent.

Parkes remains hospitalised with multiple skull fractures, a fractured cheek bone and a fractured eye socket.

Two youths aged 14 and 17 and four aged 15 have been detained in connection with the attack and released on bail.

“We can’t believe the ignorance of the young people who carried out the attack on someone who was just out on a night out with friends and had done nothing wrong,” said Parkes’ parents, reports the BBC.

The police have confirmed that they are investigating the incident as a “homophobic hate crime”.

A candlelight vigil is planned to take place at the scene of the attack this coming weekend.