Vicious Jubilee Attack

The assault on the 42-year-old gay victim is being treated by Metropolitan Police officers as homophobic, and is being investigated by a special unit which deals with such "hate" crimes.

Shortly after last Tuesday's spectacular jubilee festivities, which drew crowds of more than a million onto the streets of central London, the Littlehampton man was beaten up as he walked back to his hotel.

The attacker pounced near the Marble Arch end of Oxford Street, assaulting the victim from behind. He was punched several times and then kicked in the head after he fell to the ground.

Two police officers discovered the seriously injured man lying in a pool of blood. He suffered a broken left arm and a hand fracture and needed surgery to save the sight in one eye, which was successful.

After being treated initially at London's University College Hospital, the victim was transferred to St Richard's Hospital, Chichester. He was allowed home at the beginning of this week and is thought to be making a good recovery.

Police say the attacker's white trousers and white jacket would have been bloodstained after the assault. The man they are looking for was white, aged about 28 and 5ft 10inch to 6ft tall.

Officers believe the assault must have been seen by a number of people who were in the Oxford Street area at the time. One eyewitness heard the attacker make comments which convinced police that it was a homophobic incident.