HOMOPHOBIC ATTACK “VICTIM” FELL ON HIS FACE

British police say that a man, whose picture of his apparent homophobic attack injuries went viral, actually fell on his face.

On 27 February, University of Central Lancashire student Richard Scott Kennedy posted a photo on Facebook of his bruised face and broken teeth.

He wrote: “Here is my face after a homophobic attack, 4 of my teeth are gone, not fallen out but deep inside my gums and cheek, one is sitting under my cheek inside my gum on the right side bottom of my nose.

“My face is swollen and it was worse yesterday, both my knees are badly injured and I struggle to walk,” he said.

Kennedy added: “All of this and what was their motive? because of my fucking sexuality. something that doesn’t concern ANYONE else minus me and the person I fall for, either man or woman.”

The 18-year-old claimed that he was the victim of homophobic verbal abuse after leaving a bar and then woke up on the floor covered in blood. He did not remember the actual attack.

The photo was liked by 159,366 people and shared almost 200,000 times and Kennedy received a massive outpouring of sympathy.

The Lancashire Evening Post has now reported that police have confirmed that that the injuries were actually caused by Kennedy falling on his face.

The police found CCTV footage that clearly shows the young man falling face first onto the pavement.

“We have showed him the CCTV and he now accepts his injuries were caused during the fall,” Detective Inspector Paddy O’Neill told the newspaper.

He added that the police don’t believe that Kennedy intentionally made up the story.

“Having had oversight of the investigation since its inception and taking into account the full circumstances, I accept his report was made in good faith,” said O’Neill.