Thugs punch and kick Harrogate teen in the head in terrifying race-hate and homophobic attack

Police have launched an appeal for witness following the terrifying attack, which saw the 19-year-old targeted by two men after getting off the 1C bus on Knaresborough Road and walking down Swarcliffe Road.

He walked past the two men when he was grabbed and his arms were held behind his back. The man who restrained him pushed him forward while the other punched and kicked him in the head. The victim received numerous small cuts to his face and head.

During the attack, the two men are said to have made racial and homophobic remarks.

Police are treating the incident – which took place just after midnight on Thursday (January 28, 2016) – as a race-hate and homophobic attack.

One of the suspects is described as white and in his mid to late 40s. He had very short, shaved hair, was a "chunky or fat" build and had neatly-shaven sideburns. He is described as having excess skin on his neck, like a “turkey neck”.

He was dressed in workwear including a navy blue outdoor coat, dirty blue jeans and tan or sand-coloured Timberland-style workers’ boots, with construction-type dirt on them.

He is said to have spoken with a local accent and wore a plain gold wedding band on his wedding ring finger.

The second suspect is described as a "chunky or fat" white man who is also in his mid to late 40s. He had short, thinning hair and a bit of stubble. He wore a black leather bomber jacket, jeans, brown workers’ boots and had a blue tattoo on one of his wrists.

A North Yorkshire Police spokesman said: “We’d urge anyone who witnessed this incident, or has any information, to contact police immediately on 101. Please ask for Rebecca Wood and quote incident number NYP-28012016-0193.”

Crimestoppers can be contacted anonymously on 0800 555 111.