Photo of Ian Baynham courtesy of pinknews UKBy Brody Levesque (Washington DC) Oct 15 | LONDON UK-New Scotland Yard Deputy Chief Inspector Clive Heys, told the British newspaper the Evening Standard, that the victim, 62 year old Ian Baynham, had just gotten off the number 24 bus on Duncannon Street and had walked into Trafalgar Square, which was full of people at around 10:45PM on September 25th. According to Heys, Baynham and a 30 year old male companion were passing by the South Africa House when three youths reportedly started shouting obscenities at other passersby with one of them, a female, screaming homophobic abuse at the victim and his friend.
Witnesses stated that when Baynham confronted the youths about their behaviour, he was knocked down onto the pavement by a punch from the boy. According to the Police reports, at that point one or both of the girls then began viciously kicking him.
Inspector Heys told the Evening Standard's correspondent that Baynham was right to confront the two girls and a boy before the attack in Trafalgar Square,
“I don't criticise Mr Baynham in any way for his actions. If you are 62 years of age and minding your own business when somebody hurls abuse at you, I think you are entitled to remonstrate with them. It is horrendous that this can happen in Trafalgar Square on a Friday night. It would appear to be completely random.”
Baynham, who was out celebrating a new job as a civil servant, died Tuesday night. He had suffered severe head injuries in the attack and his life support machine was switched off after consultation with family members.
Police have launched a manhunt and video surveillance images of the two girls have been released. They are described as having blonde hair and both were wearing jeans. The boy was described as dark-skinned. All were aged between 16 and 20.
According to police there have been a significant number of homophobic murders in the London metropolitan area recently, recording 6 of them in the previous year alone.
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