Four men arrested for hate-related sexual assault in the Gay Village in Birmingham

Four men have been arrested on suspicion of a hate-related sexual assault on Hurst Street in Birmingham’s Gay Village. The victim, in her 20s, was subjected to a vicious assault, both verbally and physically, and threatened with a knife just before 5.30 am on January 8.

West Midlands Police’s CCTV operators spotted the suspicious activity and when the crime was reported almost an hour later, they were able to back-track on the CCTV and direct officers to the suspects.

The four, aged between 18 and 22, remain in custody for questioning. West Midlands Police said: “We do not tolerate hate crime in our city and have recently set up a new StreetWatch in Birmingham’s Gay Village – the first of its kind in the country.”

What is StreetWatch?

Patrols will take place in the areas around Hurst Street in Birmingham, and the team which is made up of local people, is looking for more volunteers who want to make a difference and make the area safer.

Their aim is to create a safer village in direct response to community feedback to a survey during Pride.

PC Kennedy, from the Digbeth police team, said: “This is the first time a Rainbow Street Watch has ever been set up and already the feedback has been overwhelming. At present we have our first two members with another four ready to sign up.”

To find out more about streetwatch and how you can help, email [email protected] or visit @StreetWatchWM on Twitter.