Man suffers horrific injuries after man pushes him down a flight of stairs in Manchester gay club
Neil Ruth suffered from a bleed on the brain, three blood clots and a lacerated ear
By Steve Brown
A man was pushed down the stairs and suffered horrific injuries after stepping in to defend his friend from a racial and homophobic attack.
Neil Ruth, 35, was enjoying a night out in Manchester’s Gay Village when another man started to hurl racial and homophobic abuse at his friend in Cruz101, the Manchester Evening News reported.
He claimed the man called his friend a ‘black bitch’ and made offensive gestures with his hands. Neil stepped in to calm the situation but as he turned his back, the attacker pushed him down a flight of stairs.
Neil smacked a brick wall and fell unconscious. The man then continued to punch and kick him but eventually stopped and left the club.
Neil was taken to Manchester Royal Infirmary where he spent several days receiving treatment. The attack left him with three blood clots, a lacerated ear which needed six stitches and a bleed on the brain.
The victim said: “A man shouted homophobic abuse at my friend. I did my best to calm the situation down and diffuse the aggression.
“I thought I had done. As we were leaving my back was turned. He pushed me down the stairs, I hit a brick wall, which landed me unconscious straight away.
“He punched me while my head was on the floor. My ear has been lacerated.
“I had blacked out. ‘My friend and other members of the public had to pull him off me. He was in a fit of rage. I was falling in and out of consciousness.”
Now, Greater Manchester Police have confirmed they are investigating the incident, which is being treated as a hate crime.
A spokesperson said: “Officers are looking at CCTV and following several lines of enquiry. They are also working closely with the club.”