Man whose back was broken after homophobic Pride attack says his life is ‘ruined’
The Metropolitan Police are treating the attack as a homophobic hate crime.
A man whose back was broken after being attacked hours after London Pride has spoken out about the incident.
Tom Berwick was walking along Greek Street on Sunday, July 8, towards Tottenham Court Road when he was struck in the back, causing his spine to break. The 50-year-old was able to make it to Stratford Underground Station where he was given medical treatment before being rushed to hospital.
Now, in an interview with the Evening Standard, Berwick has said his life is “ruined”.
Recalling the attack, Berwick said: “I just remember waking up on the Central Line, and then the pain really kicked in – it was excruciating.”
He continued: “Nothing like this has ever happened to me. I’ve been out since I was 18 and never come across any hate stuff like this.”
Following the attack, Berwick spent 10 days in hospital and was released with a spinal brace. He’s now started a course of physiotherapy and has revealed he’s relying on friends and family for support.
He said: “I’m not working at the moment, my shop is struggling, I’m relying on friends and family and borrowing money to keep myself going. It’s horrible.”
Meanwhile, a spokesman for the Metropolitan Police has said the incident is being treated as a homophobic hate crime and is being investigated. No arrests have been made.