Police appeal after homophobic attack in Islington which put victim in hospital
Detectives in Islington have issued an appeal in the hunt for a suspect in a homophobic attack in Islington.
Police want to track down Alex Ogden, 28, after a man in his 50s was injured and required hospital treatment.
The attacker made homophobic slurs during the assault at an address in north London, police say.
Ogden is of no fixed address but has links to London, York and Sheffield. He is known to use the train network to travel around the country and is regularly on public transport in the capital.
He is also wanted after he failed to attend court on 31 August after being charged with three common assaults at York railway station.
He is described as a stocky white male with a distinctive haircut of a topknot and shaved sides. His topknot is often braided into smaller plaits, or worn long and he speaks with a Yorkshire accent.A police statement said: "The incident happened at an address in Islington on Wednesday, 18 October. Ogden violently assaulted a man, aged in his 50s, which resulted in the victim going to hospital for treatment. Due to comments made during the attack, this is being investigated as a homophobic hate crime."
Detective Constable Lauren Gresty from the Central North Public Protection Unit is leading the homophobic assault investigation and is urging members of the public to assist the police in locating Ogden.
She said: “Ogden is a dangerous individual and it is crucial that he is located as a matter of urgency. He is wanted for a number of offences involving violence and theft, and has a history of violent offending.“Ogden may be in possession of a knife, and it is vital that members of the public do not approach him. If you see Ogden, or know where he is, it is imperative that you call 999 immediately.”
Anyone who has information that could help police should call 101 or ‘X’ @MetCC quoting 4274/30Oct.
To remain anonymous contact Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 or visit crimestoppers-uk.org.