A man has been left with lasting eye damage after being attacked outside a gay bar in Melbourne.

Brendan, a 36-year-old medical insurance worker,, had gone to Sircuit Bar in Smith Street for Australia Day.

Detectives say he was followed by three men, and they called him a ‘fucking faggot’.

They assaulted him, rendering him unconscious.

The attack occurred at 2.45am on 27 January, on Smith Street.

He was left with cracked ribs and a fractured skull. He couldn’t open his left eye for three weeks.

Disturbing images have been released of Brendan following the attack.

It shows him bruised and beaten, in a hospital bed, unable to open his eye.

Speaking now, mostly recovered, at a police conference Brendan spoke about his attackers.

‘I don’t see myself as a minority… [The attackers] need to get out more,’ he said.

As reported by The Age, he added: ‘I don’t want people to look at this and think they need to stay home and hide from this.

‘I think more people should go out and enjoy life.’.

Appeal for witnesses after man was victim of brutal homophobic attack

However, they did say it was difficult to tell as CCTV footage from nearby buildings did not pick them up.

‘No one came forward to police at the time to say that they witnessed it, which is why we’re appealing now for them to come forward,’ Flannery said.

The offenders fled after the attack, while Brendan was helped by friends who rang an ambulance.

The detective senior constable added: ‘It’s a homophobic attack on someone that was walking in the street and minding their own business.’

He was so badly bashed he was unable to describe the attackers, according to police.

Police are appealing for anyone with further information to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or submit a confidential crime report at www.crimestoppersvic.com.au.