Vile homophobic notes posted through couple’s door spark police investigation
"We don't want you living here".
By Will Stroude
Police are investigating after two threatening homophobic notes were sent to a lesbian couple in Stoke-on-Trent.
The unnamed couple contacted police after the second of the notes was posted through the door of their home in Fenton, Staffordshire this month, Stoke-on-Trent Live reports.
The first, sent on 7 May, read: “Everyone knows you are gay and we don’t want you living here so you better leave soon otherwise….”
A second was sent on 11 May and read: “This is another note to say I don’t like gays. This is from people who don’t like gays.”
Sharing pictures of the vile messages on Facebook, one of the recipients wrote: “You hear about homophobia in the world but I’ve personally never experienced any. I was quite shocked to have received this.”
She added: “It’s not very nice knowing people have watched us and then gone out their way to do this.”
The abusive notes sparked outrage on social media, with local friends and neighbours expressing their shock.
“This is the second time this has happened now to friends of mine in fenton”, wrote Gary Whalley on Facebook. “Not happy at all!!! Ive lived around here for 16 years plus and im a massive gay and no one else seems to care!!!
“However who ever the parents are to these kids in berdmore / Hollings street need to have words!!! disgusting behaviour.”
Other expressed doubt that the notes were written by children, with one commenting: “I feel like this isn’t a child…. It’s someone pretending to be a child just the way the style of some letters are written…”
A Staffordshire Police spokesman confirmed the force had launched an investigation, saying: “Police were contacted at 10.20am on Monday to a report of a hate crime.
“A note was left outside of a property on Berdmore Street in Stoke-on-Trent. Any witnesses or anyone with information is asked to contact us.”