16-Year-Old Arrested Over Suspected Homophobic Hate Crime In Chichester

A 16-year-old boy has been arrested following a suspected homophobic hate crime in Chichester city centre.

A man in his 20s told police he was followed and verbally abused by a group of young men on bicycles in the Little London car park, behind East Street, at around 6pm on 13 October.

Sussex Police say officers visited the victim at a nearby venue to offer reassurance and take a statement.

The teenager was arrested on suspicion of using threatening or abusive words or behaviour likely to cause harassment, alarm or distress, as well as shop theft.

He was issued with a Community Protection Warning and bailed while further enquiries continue.

Inspector Dave Lyons, from Chichester Neighbourhood Policing Team, said the incident had been distressing for the victim and urged anyone affected by hate crime to report it to police.

Anyone with information can contact Sussex Police online, quoting serial number 47260238010.