An unassuming young gay man who moved to Manchester in the UK thinking the city supported gay rights and was ‘inclusive’ was almost killed in a homophobic attack.
Morgan Fevre, 22, ended up with a bleed on the brain and a severely fractured eye socket and cheekbone following the attack in the early hours of April 10.
Before the attack, Morgan was a support worker for adults with learning difficulties and moved to Manchester from the small market town of Retford, Nottinghamshire, for work more than a year ago.
Reacting to the homophobic crime, his father Paul Fevre said: ‘The man said to him “Why are you wearing a girl’s jacket you f**king f*g?”
‘That’s the last that he remembers. In 2022, that people are called these names and these things happen to them – it is absolutely horrendous.’
Police confirmed the incident happened in Chinatown at 1.35 am and it was a ‘homophobically aggravated assault’
An eye witness, Paul, 53, from Retford, Nottinghamshire, said Morgan had been out in Manchester city centre with friends.
Paul says he believes Morgan’s attacker first asked Morgan for a cigarette before attacking him.
He said: ‘The man said to him “why are you wearing a girl’s jacket, you f**king f*g?”
Paul added: ‘Morgan has gone to Manchester thinking it’s great – you can go out and be who you are.
‘Then this happens. This has knocked him back, but we are all here for him. Without a shadow of a doubt, one of the reasons he came to Manchester was because of the city’s inclusiveness.’
Morgan, who lives with his partner Elliot Lyte in Didsbury, was taken to Manchester Royal Infirmary by ambulance at around 2.15 am.
Morgan’s boyfriend, Elliot, 30, said he was last seen walking from a pub.
‘He sent his last text message to a friend at 1.30 am,’ said Elliot, who believes Morgan may have been followed by the man who attacked him.
Morgan was transferred to Salford Royal Hospital for emergency surgery to save his life.
He also had three broken teeth and a badly broken nose, which was fractured in four places.
More than 40 staples that doctors used following Morgan’s emergency craniotomy have been removed and he was discharged on Wednesday evening, April 21.
Elliot added: ‘In a country of progression and in a city which was somewhere called the Gay Village, that this can happen, and these words said, is baffling and upsetting.
‘Morgan is doing well, but this will leave lasting scars both physically and mentally.’
