A Portadown man who was left requiring hospital treatment following a vicious and unprovoked assault in the town centre on Boxing Day believes the attack was homophobic in nature.
Adam – who provided his second name but wanted to preserve some anonymity – said he was making his way back home having spent time with family at Christmas.
“I was walking home along Thomas Street and I had noticed a large group in front of me – they were walking ahead. I was minding my own business, scrolling on my phone when I arrived at the church at the corner of Portmore Street at around 9:30pm. This is when I was brutally and viciously attacked.”
Adam says he was punched multiple times to the face and torso.
“When I was first attacked, I tried to protect myself by getting into the foetal position and was unable to fight back as they had attacked me unexpectedly,” he said.
“I believe this attack to be one of a hate crime as they had the opportunity to take my personal belongings but didn’t. After around two minutes of relentless punching to my head and torso, a friend of the attacker said to stop and two others dragged him off me.
“They ended the attack with a homophobic slur and left the scene. Three other people from the group shouted at the attacker, asking why they had done it. The attacker did not respond.
“Three people stayed with me to ask if I was okay and to see if they could call anyone for me. I felt numb at the time.
“This is when I was informed by another person of the same group that my left eye had become swollen. I then realised I was unable to see out of it. This left me feeling terrified. I didn’t know if it had ended or not. I was confused and I will probably never get a reason. I was afraid they were going to follow me home.
“I called the police to report this incident and they sent out an ambulance to look at my injuries. After making their initial assessment they had to send me to A&E to further review the injuries to my face and torso.”
Adam says he is speaking out of his ordeal in order to raise awareness of “the issues that have been ongoing in Portadown”.
“I have spoken to multiple people from the Portadown area who are experiencing similar instances who also now feel that Portadown is not a safe place for any minority, due to intimidation and violence by groups within the Portadown community.
“It is my hope that we can make Portadown a safer place for everyone.”
A police spokesperson, appealing for information, said: “Police received a report at approximately 9.55pm on Thursday, December 26 that a man, aged in his 20s, had been assaulted a short time earlier in the Thomas Street area of the town.
“He was walking past a church at the junction with Portmore Street when he was assaulted by a number of young people.
“The victim sustained a facial injury and required medical treatment. Our enquiries are ongoing to determine who was involved and a motive.
“We are keen to hear from anyone who may have CCTV, dash-cam or other footage of the area. Please phone us on 101, quoting reference number 1249 26/12/24.”
A report can also be made using the online reporting form via www.psni.police.uk/makeareport or to Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111 or online at www.crimestoppers-uk.org
