A schoolboy has been arrested following a homophobic attack on two men in Anfield over the weekend.
Police today confirmed the 12-year-old has been arrested over the vicious assault which appalled the city and left one man with serious knife injuries.
The two men, a married couple in their 30s, had been out for a few drinks to a pub on Townsend Avenue in Anfield when they were confronted by a gang of yobs at around 9.20pm on Saturday night.
Three youths, aged between 12 and 15 were being hunted by police after the attack.
Two of them were seen riding bikes and they hurled homophobic verbal abuse towards the married men as they walked along Manningham Road on their way home.
Today police said a 12-year-old boy had been arrested on suspicion of carrying out the "homophobic aggravated" assault.
A police spokesman said: "The boy is currently in custody where he will be questioned by detectives."
Dozens of activists have joined together to express their horror following the homophobic attack.
The attacks were swiftly condemned by the Mayor of Liverpool, Joe Anderson, and the Bishop of Liverpool, Paul Bayes.
And a group of more than 40 trade unionists, politicians, community and LGBT groups put their names to a statement condemning the attacks.
They said: "This is just one of several recent attacks that mark a rise in hate crimes around the country."
