POLICE investigating an incident of hate crime in Bournemouth have issued a CCTV image of a man they would like to identify.

At around 4.15pm on Friday, January 6, a man approached two women in the Richmond Gardens shopping centre in Old Christchurch Road and shouted homophobic abuse.

He pushed both women and slapped one of them to the face.

PC Stephen Golesworthy, of Bournemouth police, said: “Dorset Police takes all reports of hate crime very seriously and we are conducting a number of enquiries to identify the man responsible.

Bournemouth Echo: Image appeal by Dorset PoliceImage appeal by Dorset Police (Image: Dorset Police)

“I am now in a position to issue a CCTV image of a man we would like to identify as part of our investigation, and I would urge anyone who recognises him to please contact us.”

Anyone with information is asked to contact Dorset Police at dorset.police.uk/contact or by calling 101, quoting occurrence number 55230002917. Alternatively, independent charity Crimestoppers can be contacted anonymously online at Crimestoppers-uk.org or by calling Freephone 0800 555 111.