A man who was beaten up as he walked home from work says two men attacked him simply because he was wearing a pink shirt.

Kent Morgan from Blenheim was left cut and bloodied after being jumped at random as he made his way home following a shift at a local Irish Bar last Friday.

The 32-year-old was walking past a dark alleyway when he was called a "pink shirt wearing homo" by two men.

Despite Morgan putting his head down and ignoring the pair as they continued to harass him about the colour of his clothing, he said they were seemingly determined to create a fight no matter what he did.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Morgan said he was called a
Morgan said he was called a "pink shirt wearing homo" and had ignored the jibes of the two men, but was attacked regardless. Photo / Kent Morgan

"It was after midnight and I came past a side street and these two guys called me a 'pink shirt wearing homo'," Morgan told Daily Mail Australia.

"I just carried on walking because I thought there's no point answering back because it sounded like they'd had a few beers.

"But they seemingly wanted a blue because they yelled out, 'Don't f*****g ignore me mate', but I did and just carried on walking."

After walking some 30 metres further down the road, Morgan said he heard footsteps approaching him at pace.

Instantly knowing he was going to be attacked, he braced and prepared to face the pair.

While they initially had the jump on him it wasn't long before the father-of-one got the upper hand, fighting back against the two in self defence.

"I heard sprinting behind me and knew it wasn't going to go too well," he said.

"One guy had me in a body hold and the other guy was hitting me in the eye, but I managed to turn myself to the side and slip out of the hold and wiggle my way free.

"I hit the guy in front of me three or four times and then the one behind me was still holding onto me, so I grabbed him by the ears and bit into his cheek.

"He squealed and just ran off, but they kept yelling at me about my pink shirt.

"I've never gone out looking for a fight and I hope it never happens again, but I know how to look after myself."

Morgan said pink was his favourite colour and he was disappointed to have to throw out the bloodied shirt. Photo / Kent Morgan
Morgan said pink was his favourite colour and he was disappointed to have to throw out the bloodied shirt. Photo / Kent Morgan

Morgan said he had made a trip to hospital upon the insistence of his wife, while he'd also promised not to walk home from work anymore.

While on the whole he's feeling fine, Morgan said the anti-homosexual motive for the attack didn't sit well with him.

"I've got no issues with homosexuals and I've got mates who are gay, so it's clearly a blight in the way these guys have been brought up," he said.

"Maybe my pink shirt was just an excuse to find a scrap, I don't know, but I'm disappointed because pink's my favourite colour.

"I had to throw that shirt out, but I'm definitely not going to stop wearing pink because of these guys - I wasn't too impressed."