A COUPLE from Redditch have hit out at the amount of homophobic abuse they are being subjected to in the town.
Scott Bird and Dan Harper contacted the Standard after a series of incidents in the town centre and in Batchley, where they live.
And it has got that bad that Dan, who moved to the town from Hinckley in Leicestershire a year ago, is contemplating leaving.
He said: “We have never experienced homophobic abuse like we have in Redditch.
“We’ve been to other places, including Bromsgrove, Birmingham and where I lived in Leicester and never known anything like it.”
Care home worker Dan added the abuse was carried out by secondary school-aged children and, in the latest attack this week on Unicorn Hill, one threatened to ‘stab them up’.
The pair have reported it to the police but have also been scathing of a ‘lack of CCTV in the town centre – especially on Unicorn Hill’.
“Most of the premises either have no CCTV or no working cameras – it is ridiculous.
“It’s not just us we are concerned about but other people. If anyone has an issue on Unicorn Hill, there is no CCTV to capture it.
“The abuse has been going on since August – the children always target us – either after school or in the evening when they ride on bikes from Batchley to the town centre.
“We can’t even have a meal together without getting hassled.
“And people have even come to our home, abused us outside and even knocked on our door.
“We should be able to feel safe in the town we have made our home but we have had enough – I’m ready to leave now.”
Education needed
The pair believe more needs to be done to educate children – both at home and at school.
And they want to see working CCTV in the town centre and more being done by the local police.
A West Mercia Police spokesperson said: “Officers were called around 6.10pm on Monday to reports of two men being subjected to homophobic abuse on Unicorn Hill in Redditch.
“Enquiries are ongoing.”
A Redditch Borough Council spokesperson said: “We can confirm that we have good coverage in the Unicorn Hill and Church Green areas from our CCTV cameras.
“We continue to work with the police who request footage from us.
“All footage is available for 30 days, enabling us to review incidents reported to them.”
