Student stabbed in suspected homophobic attack

A student at Cambridge University was brutally attacked in the city last weekend. Drew Livingstone, 24, who works for the University's Union as the Academic Affairs officer, was stabbed numerous times in the back and shoulders. He was found in the doorway of his house when police were called with reports of a fight. An eleven inch kitchen knife was found at the scene of the crime. The attack took place on the evening of Saturday 4 February, after the victim left his local pub and walked home with two friends.

Two males, aged 16 and 17, appeared in court on 8 February charged with the attempted murder of Mr. Livingstone. They have been remanded in custody until the 14 February, when they will appear at Cambridge Crown Court. Livingstone was taken to Addenbrooke's Hospital. He is now in a stable condition and has returned to his parents' house in Jersey, where he is expected to make a full recovery. A spokesman for Cambridge University said: "We confirm the victim of this stabbing is a member of the University. We are shocked and upset at what has happened to him and hope he makes a speedy recovery. We ask that people respect his privacy and that of his family at this difficult time."

It is believed that the attack was motivated by sexuality as Mr. Livingstone was known to be openly homosexual. The number of attacks on homosexual people is on the increase. Statistics released in 2001 by the Metropolitan police show that in the first six months of the year there were 745 reported incidents against homosexual people, an increase of 8.5% from the previous year. Ben Summerskill, from the gay rights charity Stonewall, says, "This violence is people swinging their fists, not just shouting at people in the streets". However, it should be noted that although violent attacks against homosexual people are on the increase, attacks as serious as the one against Drew Livingstone are still very rare.

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