Folkestone man jailed following “sustained” homophobic attack
By Josh Lee
A man from Folkestone, Kent has been jailed following a “horrific and sustained” assault on gay man, according to Kent Live.
Ryan Kilgariff beat a 39-year-old man with a glass bottle, and subjected him to kicks and punches over the course of half an hour on March 9, 2016.
Police believe the men knew each other.
Kilgariff, of no fixed address, also verbally abused the victim with homophobic slurs. He plead guilty to grievous bodily harm with intent on Wednesday (August 24) and was sentenced to 9 years in prison, with an extended period of 3 years on license.
Detective Sergeant Cara Ferguson, the investigating officer on the case, said: ”This was a particularly violent attack that has had a significant effect on the victim.
“It was treated as a hate crime and the significant sentence received by Kilgariff reflects the seriousness with which the court regarded his conduct.
”Kent Police remains committed to stamping out all crime motivated by hate and prejudice.
“Our message is simple; have the trust and confidence to report hate crimes and incidents to the police.”
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