POLICE: MURDER OF GAY MAN NOT LINKED TO HOMOPHOBIA

Britain’s Gay Police Association says that it is concerned that the murder of gay barman Stuart Walker is not being regarded by the authorities as a homophobic attack.

Pinknews.co.uk reports that the association fears that if the murder is not treated as being linked to homophobia then evidence suggesting that it is may not come to light.

Police have arrested 18-year-old Ryan Esquierdo for the brutal murder of the 28-year-old Walker but said that they do not believe that the incident was related to Walker’s sexuality.

Walker’s partially-naked body was found in the early hours of the morning on 22 October in an industrial estate in Ayrshire, Scotland.

Police said that he had suffered horrific injuries and that he had been set on fire.

Esquierdo has been charged with murder and theft but further details of the investigation have not yet been released.

He was remanded in custody and will appear in court again within a week.