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Police in the U.K. have released disturbing CCTV footage of several teens attacking a lesbian couple on a London bus in May ahead of a sentencing hearing for three of their attackers.
The attack happened May 30 on a double-decker bus in London. Melania Geymonat, 28, and Christine Hannigan, 29, said the teens made lewd comments about them, told them to kiss each other and threw coins at them before a fight broke out. The melee left both women bloodied, and the teens also made off with some of their belongings.
Metropolitan Police released footage of the incident on Thursday after three teens involved in the case pleaded guilty to various offences. Two of them were 16 years old and another was 15. They have not been publicly identified.
The 36-second video shows the teens making rude gestures and blocking the women from moving around the otherwise empty upper deck of the bus. A fight soon breaks out and the women are herded into a pair of seats. One of the teens can be seen pulling back his hand before striking the women. Geymonat appears to hold her hand up to fend off the blow.
The teens then flee down the steps. Geymonat and Hannigan chase them to the top of the stairwell and try to grab at them, prompting one of the teens to hit back.
Police initially arrested five teen suspects in connection with the assault, which they treated as a hate crime.
Three of the teens pleaded guilty to various offences on Thursday, including aggravated hate crimes and handling stolen goods. Charges were dropped against a fourth suspect, according to a statement from police. Police did not provide an update on the status of the fifth suspect.
“No one should be victimized because of their sexuality,” Det. Const. Darren Barlow said in a statement on Thursday.
“I hope that this result brings some form of closure to both victims and they can put this ordeal behind them.”
The three teens who pleaded guilty are due back in court to be sentenced on Dec. 23.