A TRANSSEXUAL has spoken of her distress after suffering a

“barrage of abuse” in a Gloucester pub.

Paula, from Cheltenham, says she was sworn at and humiliated

at a meeting of the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender

network.

The group were meeting at the Water Poet pub, in Eastgate

Street, to discuss this year's Gloucestershire Pride event on

August 9.

Paula, who is the chairwoman of Gloucestershire Pride, says

the abuse was “atrocious”.

Like other LGBT members, Paula, who is a transsexual, goes

by first name only.

Paula said: “The management did nothing and the guy was

allowed to continue his barrage of filth.

“We've complained to the police and they're taking it

seriously.

“This man spent five minutes abusing a 55-year-old woman in

a pub in a completely unprovoked attack.

“He approached us and started asking us if we were having a

meeting and whether it had been a good meeting.

“Now everyone is going to know that he's a bully. If it

hadn't been us it would have been a disabled person or a black

person.”

Paula, a parent of one, who helps run a support group for

transgendered people, hopes speaking out about the abuse will

encourage other sufferers to come forward.

Eddie Gershon, spokesman for JD Wetherspoon, which owns the

pub, said: “The manager informed the man that this type of

behaviour would not be tolerated but he said he was

leaving.

“It was made clear that the abuse would not be

tolerated.”

A spokeswoman for Gloucestershire police said: “We take any

reports of hate crime incredibly seriously.”