Police hunt after 'unprovoked and disgusting attack' (From Hampshire Chronicle)

Police hunt after 'unprovoked and disgusting attack'

5:30pm Thursday 3rd June 2010 in Crime By Warwick Payne

A MAN was accused of spitting in a woman’s face in Winchester and launching a tirade of homophobic verbal abuse.

The suspect was walking along City Road and crossed over it to come face to face with two women in their 20s.

Police said he shouted homophobic comments as he crossed the street, and spat in one of the women’s faces.

The females, both from Winchester, walked away into Jewry Street while the man kept yelling at them from distance.

While neither of the women suffered any injuries, they were both left distressed, said police.

The suspect is described as a white man of stocky build and the incident took place between 2 and 2.15pm on Thursday, May 27.

PC Susanna Robinson said: “There were quite a lot of people around who may have witnessed this incident. This is a rare occurrence but was very distressing to the two women involved. It was an unprovoked and disgusting attack in the street in broad daylight.”

Anyone who saw the incident is urged to call PC Robinson at Winchester police station on 0845 045 4545.

Police have arrested a 30-year-old man on suspicion of common assault, who has since been released.