Two men have been arrested after a vicious and apparently homophobic attack in Wellington. David Playle, 32, says his 28-year-old boyfriend Dannii’s cheek was fractured when he was bashed by a group of men early on Sunday morning. The couple had been walking home from a party with a friend when someone yelled out "faggot" near the corner of Courtenay Place and Cambridge Terrace about 1.30am. They were shocked and tried to defuse the situation with friendly banter. Playle says a group of men then ran up and attacked their friend, and when his boyfriend tried to intervene they punched him in the face until he fell to the ground. He chased the attackers to Waitangi Park, where a police patrol was parked. Two men were later arrested and charged. Two 20-year-old men will appear Wellington District Court on Friday charged with fighting in a public place. Ambulance staff initially thought Dannii's jaw was fractured, but x-rays show it's his cheek that has been broken. Playle says he was shocked by the attack, as when they spoke to the men they seemed genuine, but two minutes later they came running at them. "For Dannii it's frustrating because he isn’t into public stuff," Playle says. "But I thought it would be best if he gets the story out in public to make it aware." Playle says the police were amazing. "It was emotional and I felt kind of childish for complaining," he says. "Like being at school and telling the teacher. But they were very understanding and accommodating. They also took me back to Dannii and wished us all the best."
Credit: GayNZ.com Daily News staff
First published: Thursday, 21st March 2013 - 9:31am