Two men taken to hospital after alleged homophobic assault in Whitby

Both were taken to hospital following a disturbance in Baxtergate, Whitby, on New Years Eve.

The incident was reported as homophobic hate crime and is being dealt with by police accordingly. Detectives believe it was an isolated incident.

Police believe two groups of men were in JK’s bar before the incident took place. An altercation happened in the Baxtergate area at around 6.20pm, which spilled onto neighbouring streets.

Detective Sergeant Andy Hall, of Scarborough Serious Crime Team, said: “This was a serious incident that left two men in hospital.

“We’ve launched an extensive investigation to establish what happened and we’d like to hear from people who saw or heard anything that could help our enquires.

“Maybe you were in the bar at the time and overheard a conversation between the two groups, or maybe you were driving on a nearby street and have dashcam footage of the altercation.

“Whatever information you have, we’d like you to get in touch. Seemingly small details can sometimes be a big help to investigators.”

The two men taken to hospital had serious but not life-threatening injuries including lacerations and head injuries. They have since returned home.

A third man was also hurt but his injuries were less serious.

Officers are continuing to make extensive local enquiries as the investigation continues.

A man in his 20s from the Rotherham area has been arrested in connection with the incident and released on bail while enquiries continue.

Anyone with information about the incident, or dashcam footage, should contact North Yorkshire Police on 101, select option 2 and ask for Scarborough Serious Crime Team.

Please provide reference number 12180242405 when passing on information.