This video shows the moment a gay man bravely confronted a couple he alleges mocked, hit and spat on him twice in a homophobic attack.

Thomas Johnson, 29, was on the way home from his best friend’s wedding when he was assaulted at Bruce Grove Station, north London, on Thursday October 17^th.

Despite ‘shaking with fear’ he decided to follow the pair onto the train to demand an explanation for their actions.

He tells them: ‘You were homophobically saying things to me…. it’s against the law.

‘You spat at me and now I have your DNA on my face.’

But the couple, whose actions are being treated as a hate crime by police, respond by pulling their tongues and laughing at the camera.

Describing the incident Thomas, from Greenwich, told Metro.co.uk: ‘I was on the phone to my dad when they started to imitate my voice. He was kissing his lips at me and she was making noises.

‘It was like something on a school playground when someone imitates your voice in a girly way. I felt like it was homophobic.

‘She was saying something about sex and look at you.  It all happened so fast. He hit me in the face and knocked my glasses off.

‘I picked them up and could hear the sound of the train doors. Then the girl just looked at me and spat in my face.  The guy then spat at me too.’

Thomas, who was with his sister when he was assaulted, followed the couple to Seven Sisters station, when he phoned the police.

He decided to follow the couple so he could get photos in the hope they could be quickly identified.

British Transport Police said they are investigating a homophobic assault and have asked for witnesses to come forward.

Thomas, who works in Cardiff, said: ‘This has made me feel so bad. I have suffered from depression in the past. I just can’t believe this can happen in 2019.

‘It was such a nice innocent day at my best friend’s wedding then speaking to my dad. I’m shaking just thinking about it.

‘I work in customer service and it’s made me feel so paranoid about customers saying something about me and judging me.’

Earlier this month government statistics showed a 25% rise in hate crime offences linked to sexual orientation since 2013.

Thomas said he purposely avoids getting the bus in London after a lesbian couple were attacked for allegedly refusing to kiss for two men

He said the incident on Thursday left him ‘traumatised’ and feeling under pressure to change his appearance to draw less attention to himself.

He said: ‘I think hate crime has gotten worse recently.  I don’t feel it is being taken seriously.

‘I remember 10 years ago I would go to a gay club in baggy clothes and only change when I got there. I may have to start doing that again.

‘Since that [London bus] attack I deliberately put more money on my oyster card so I can get a train instead of the bus.

‘We ended up missing the last train waiting for police and I got in at about half two because we had to get night buses back home and walk.The night was just ruined.

‘I was so upset and traumatised I decided to get a coach back to Cardiff  at 4am because I just could not sleep.’

Confirming the incident, a spokeswoman for British Transport police told Metro.co.uk: ‘Officers received a report of a homophobic assault on a train between Bruce Grove and Seven Sisters shortly after 10pm on 17 October.

‘It was reported a man and woman spat at the victim before boarding a service to Liverpool Street, where officers conducted a search of the area. No trace of the suspects were found.

‘We take hate crimes extremely seriously and are making a number of enquiries into this incident.

‘Any witnesses or anyone with information is asked to contact BTP by texting 61016 or calling 0800 40 50 40 quoting reference 576 of 17/10/19.’

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