A man in his 40s was beaten with a metal pole and filmed being forced to perform a sex act during a violent assault in east London.

Police said the brutal late-night attack began outside East Ham Tube station when the victim told his aggressors he didn't have any cigarettes he could give them.

The pair punched him multiple times, robbing his backpack, ID and bank cards before "brazenly" dragging him past shocked members of the public to a cash point.

When the victim could not withdraw any money, the assailants resumed their savage attack.

The two men - described by police as Mediterranean in appearance and aged between 20 and 22 with dark hair - then took him to a nearby park where they beat him with a metal pole before making him perform sex acts on them while they filmed.

Police were alerted after a passer-by heard the man's cries for help, but the suspects had fled before officers arrived at the scene.

Detective Constable Monir Nainia, from the Met's specialist sexual offences team, said: "This was a particularly violent attack, with the suspects brazenly ignoring residents and passers-by in what would have been a busy location.



"Thankfully incidents of this nature are extremely rare and we are conducting numerous inquiries to trace the suspects. Extra patrols have been put in place in the area to provide reassurance."

One of the two suspects police are hunting in connection with the incident - which began around 11pm on Saturday, January 31 - was described as wearing a black hoodie with his hair gelled back. The other man was said to be wearing distinctive white glasses.

DC Nainia added: "I would encourage anyone who was in the area at the time and may have witnessed the incident, or seen the suspect fleeing the scene to contact police on 020 8217 7451. To remain anonymous call Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111."