AGXStarseed
Well-Known Member
(Not written by me. Edited to remove the word 'suffers')
Police are investigating alleged hate crime offences against a Gloucester man who says he has been threatened with being burned alive – just because he is gay.
Jamie Hiam said he has suffered a campaign of homophobic abuse since he moved in to his flat in the city centre in September.
Initially he was thrilled to have been given a one bed flat in Greyfriars after years of waiting for his own place.
But Jamie, who says he suffers from Asperger's syndrome and ADHD, claims he has been living a nightmare pretty much from the get go.
As well as being verbally abused, the 28-year-old has had notes full of foul and derogatory language put through his letter box and has been physically intimidated.
He said he was threatened with being burnt alive and added: "It's been horrible. I feel sad all the time. I can't face being here on my own, I can't sleep at night. I am always worried they'll throw a brick through my window.
"It felt great to get a place of my own because I'm a vulnerable adult with learning difficulties.
"But now I want to move before something else happens. I don't feel safe."
But Jamie, born in Gloucester, claims he is being frustrated in his attempts to be moved into another home by the housing association Rooftop Housing Group, despite the threats.
Juliana Crowe, housing director at the association, said they had been in touch with the police about the abuse.
"Our tenant has asked to be rehoused as he'd heard that we have empty properties near to him, but unfortunately we don't," she said.
"We have as few empty properties as is possible. Our priority with empty properties is to get them to people in need as quickly as possible.
"We have asked him to register on the Gloucester Home Seeker site and bid on other properties, which we understand he has done today.
"We're working closely with the police, but this abuse is a police matter and it would be wrong of us to overstep our role and interfere with that process.
"Through this we are supporting our tenant in all the ways open to us."
Police also confirmed they are involved in the investigation.
A Gloucestershire police spokesman said: "We were called about a resident experiencing homophobic abuse at their home.
"Inquiries are continuing into these incidents and we would of course encourage anyone who has been the victim of a hate crime to come forward and call us."
Source: 'I'll burn you alive' - man's homophobic abuse hell
Police are investigating alleged hate crime offences against a Gloucester man who says he has been threatened with being burned alive – just because he is gay.
Jamie Hiam said he has suffered a campaign of homophobic abuse since he moved in to his flat in the city centre in September.
Initially he was thrilled to have been given a one bed flat in Greyfriars after years of waiting for his own place.
But Jamie, who says he suffers from Asperger's syndrome and ADHD, claims he has been living a nightmare pretty much from the get go.
As well as being verbally abused, the 28-year-old has had notes full of foul and derogatory language put through his letter box and has been physically intimidated.
He said he was threatened with being burnt alive and added: "It's been horrible. I feel sad all the time. I can't face being here on my own, I can't sleep at night. I am always worried they'll throw a brick through my window.
"It felt great to get a place of my own because I'm a vulnerable adult with learning difficulties.
"But now I want to move before something else happens. I don't feel safe."
But Jamie, born in Gloucester, claims he is being frustrated in his attempts to be moved into another home by the housing association Rooftop Housing Group, despite the threats.
Juliana Crowe, housing director at the association, said they had been in touch with the police about the abuse.
"Our tenant has asked to be rehoused as he'd heard that we have empty properties near to him, but unfortunately we don't," she said.
"We have as few empty properties as is possible. Our priority with empty properties is to get them to people in need as quickly as possible.
"We have asked him to register on the Gloucester Home Seeker site and bid on other properties, which we understand he has done today.
"We're working closely with the police, but this abuse is a police matter and it would be wrong of us to overstep our role and interfere with that process.
"Through this we are supporting our tenant in all the ways open to us."
Police also confirmed they are involved in the investigation.
A Gloucestershire police spokesman said: "We were called about a resident experiencing homophobic abuse at their home.
"Inquiries are continuing into these incidents and we would of course encourage anyone who has been the victim of a hate crime to come forward and call us."
Source: 'I'll burn you alive' - man's homophobic abuse hell
