Gay-bashing inquiry

The police are investigating the homophobic persecution of an academic at Oxford Brookes University. A spokesman for Thames Valley Police confirmed that an investigation was under way into incidents relating to a female member of staff who, they say, may have suffered homophobic abuse and harassment, incidents of criminal damage, homophobic and defamatory graffiti and threatening correspondence. The police are investigating the possibility that staff or students at the university may be behind the abuse. The university said it had put extra security precautions in place.