A man, 22, has been hospitalised in a suspected gay bashing by a man who’d only just saved him from a group of seven kicking him unconscious in a park.

Dylan Souster, 22, was called ‘a queer’ and 'a faggot' when he was punched in the head outside his Waterloo apartment in inner-south Sydney in the early hours of Sunday morning, about 1am.

Originally from Ireland, Mr Souster had been knocked unconscious in a random attack when the man walked him to safety, before suddenly launching a homophobic assault on the 22-year-old.

Dylan Souster, 22, was called 'a queer' and 'a faggot' when he was punched in the head outside his Waterloo apartment in inner-south Sydney at about 1am on Sunday

Mr Souster's (right) boyfriend Darren Hedderman (left), 27, said it was a 'cowardly' and 'scum' thing to do

The 22-year-old had gone out the front of his apartment block to make sure some friends got in a taxi safely as they left the home.

His boyfriend Darren Hedderman, 27, told Daily Mail Australia Mr Souster then turned around to head back into their McEvoy Street apartment when someone suddenly hit him.

Mr Souster then awoke at the far end of Waterloo Oval to a group of about seven kicking him in the head and all over the body.

The 22-year-old has no recollection of how he got there, about a four-minute walk away.

‘He doesn’t remember if he was dragged there or if he ran when he was hit,’ Mr Hedderman told Daily Mail Australia.

Eventually, the men in the group stopped kicking him after the women had cried for them to stop.

When he began home with a ‘face full of blood’, he asked for help from a man on the street.

Mr Souster’s eye remains swollen with cuts across his head, a split lip and aching body from the group’s random assault

The 22-year-old is still unable to speak to due to the severe swelling in his jaw, caused by the man’s suspected homophobic assault

‘He [the stranger] asked, “Are you okay? What happened?”’

The man walked Mr Souster back to his apartment, where Mr Hedderman had long been asleep, and asked if he wanted to call Mr Souster’s girlfriend for help getting upstairs.

But when the 22-year-old replied that he had a boyfriend, the man suddenly said: ‘Oh, you’ve got a boyfriend? You’re a queer, you’re a faggot.’

The man he called a ‘Good Samaritan-turned-bad’, speaking to Sydney Morning Herald, then punched him in the face, and Mr Souster again ran.

Asked what he thought of the man behind the second assault, Mr Hedderman told Daily Mail Australia he is ‘a coward’.

‘It’s such a cowardly thing to do, such scum. I wish it had have been me instead,’ the 27-year-old said.

He added that nobody ever picks on him, while Mr Souster is much smaller and more vulnerable to attacks.

Mr Hedderman said the couple have lived in Sydney for nearly three years, and have never been assaulted for their sexuality – although they have suffered some homophobic harassment.

He suffered multiple facial fractures, NSW Police said in a statement. Mr Hedderman told Daily Mail Australia Mr Souster underwent two CT scans at St Vincent's Hospital

‘We’ve had a few people shouting stuff from cars,’ he said. ‘But it’s never gotten physical.’

The couple had spent 12 hours at St Vincent’s Hospital in Darlinghurst for treatment, where Mr Souster underwent two CT scans.

Mr Souster also has a cracked lip (pictured)

The 22-year-old is still unable to speak to due to the severe swelling in his jaw, caused by the man’s suspected homophobic assault.

He suffered multiple facial fractures, tooth dislodgement and palate damage and bleeding in the ears.

Mr Souster’s eye remains swollen with cuts across his head, a split lip and aching body from the group’s random assault.

On Facebook he wrote he was ‘fine but a bit cut up and shaken’, while his ‘jaw is a mile wide’.

He said he expected to be back working in a week.

NSW Police confirmed in a statement they are investigating the alleged assault, and Mr Hedderman said a small amount CCTV footage from their apartment block had caught parts of the separate incidents.

‘Detectives from Redfern Local Area Command are investigating the circumstances surrounding the incidents, including bias towards the man based on his sexual orientation,’ the statement said.

The night prior, another suspected homophobic-related assault occurred in Surry Hills.

Mr Hedderman said the couple, originally from Ireland, have lived in Sydney for nearly three years, and have never been assaulted for their sexuality – although they have suffered some homophobic harassment

At about 4.45am on Saturday two men became involved in a physical altercation with another two men on Elizabeth Street.

‘The occurrence of two bias-related assaults over one weekend is not common, and of concern to police,’ NSW Police Spokesperson on Sexuality and Gender Diversity, Superintendent Tony Crandell said.

The assaults come just two weeks before the Mardi Gras celebrates sexual and gender diversity along inner-Sydney Oxford Street.

Police advised those concerned for their safety should stick to major routes and roads, and not take shortcuts.

‘Use footpaths that are well lit and not closed in by bushes or obstacles,’ the NSW Police statement said.

‘Stay in groups of people. Change direction if you think you are being followed and seek a safe place.’

Police are appealing for information over the two incidents, thought to be completely unrelated.

Anyone who may have information which could assist police with their investigations are urged to call Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.