Celeb BB’s Gareth is battered by gay-hater
Playing for Wales On Celebrity Big Brother FORMER rugby star Gareth Thomas has revealed he was the victim of a homophobic attack on a night out.
The ex-Wales captain, who came out as gay in 2009, was visibly shaken and his face marked in a video he posted on Twitter yesterday.
The former Celebrity Big Brother star is thought to have been out with friends when a 16-year-old boy assaulted him at around 9pm on Friday in Cardiff.
Gareth, 44, insisted the teenager should not be arrested and instead asked police, who were at the scene as it happened, if he could speak to him.
South Wales Police agreed and the teenager, who admitted the assault, apologised for his actions.
In the video he made on Saturday, Gareth thanked the police for allowing restorative justice, in which the victim speaks to the perpetrator as part of the punishment.
He said: “I decided to make what I hope will be a positive video. Last night I was the victim in my home city of a hate crime for my sexuality.
“Why I want it to be positive? Because I want to say thank you to the police who were involved and were very helpful and who have allowed me to do restorative justice with the people who did this.
“I thought they could learn more this way than any other way. Also to the people of Cardiff who supported and helped me.
“There’s a lot of people out there who want to hurt us but unfortunately for them there’s a lot more who want to help us heal. So this, I hope, will be a positive message.”
South Wales Police would not give specific details of the assault on The Hayes in Cardiff city centre. It said in a statement: “We can confirm a local 16-yearold boy was dealt with by way of restorative justice after the incident at around 9pm... Restorative justice was at the request of Mr Thomas GARETH THOMAS ON HIS POSITIVE VIDEO MESSAGE Cuts are visible and accepted by the teenager who admitted assault and was apologetic. Hate crime has no place in society.”
And Gareth’s mum Yvonne Thomas posted on Facebook: “I would like to thank you for the care and assistance your officers gave.”
Gareth, who won 100 caps for Wales, was the first openly gay professional rugby union player. He also appeared four times for Wales in rugby league and played for the Crusaders at club level.
He retired in 2011, four days before he was due to play for the Welsh rugby league team against England.
He starred in Channel 5’s Celebrity Big Brother in 2012, finishing third.
There’s a lot of people who want to hurt us.. a lot more who want to help us heal