Bradley Skinner believes he was the victim of a hate crime and claims his attacker called him a ‘faggot’
A gay man has recounted the vicious attack that landed him in hospital last week. Bradley Skinner, 25, lives in Mackay Region, Northern Queensland, Australia.
On Sunday 15 April he was out enjoying dinner with his sister, Amanda. The two had begun their evening with drinks at a bowling club beforehand.
‘I was two bites into my pizza around when this young man I had never seen before slowly walked past us glaring at me,’ Skinner told Daily Mail Australia.
‘Then he called me a f****t as I looked up at him.’
Skinner said he has been taunted before and ignored the man. However, his sister was offended and leapt to her brother’s defence. She asked the man why he would say that.
Brother and sister then say the man hit Amanda on the side of the face. At this, Bradley Skinner also got up to confront the man and the siblings say the other man began to strike him with what looked like a bikechain.
‘He punched my brother and then had some chain and kept hitting him,’ says Amanda.
Bradley was hit several times – on his head, arm and leg.
‘When he hit me on the head, that’s when I blacked out,’ Bradley told the Daily Mercury.
‘I remember trying to vomit, and I think someone tried to put me on my side… I remember the ambos shining a light in my eyes, that’s when I started coming to.’
‘He just kept hitting him until he was knocked out,’ says Amanda.
‘I tried to rip him away from my brother but it didn’t work. I thought he was dead, he was just laying there, there was blood coming out of his head.
‘It was horrible to see your brother laying there.’
‘Me being gay in this town I get it a lot, so I’m used to getting name called’
Bradley was taken to Mackay Base Hospital for treatment. He was released from hospital the next day, but returned later when he continued to feel unwell.
‘They thought I might have brain damage but they’ve ruled it down to vertigo for now,’ he said.
‘It’s just sad that someone would try to wreck someone else’s night, me being gay in this town I get it a lot, so I’m used to getting name called.’
He has taken time off work to fully recuperate at home.
Queensland Police have confirmed that they attended an incident at Domino’s in Rural View, Northern Beaches, and spoken to a man about the incident. No-one has been charged and investigations are continuing.
