Attack near Portsmouth Harbour Station

21 June 2010, 13:30 | Updated: 21 June 2010, 13:41

The group of four men and a woman, who wasn’t assaulted, had been for a Friday night out in Portsmouth to watch the England match against Algeria.

At around 2.45am on Saturday, June 19, they were walking on the slipway towards the Gosport Ferry when they were approached by a group of three men who attacked them for no apparent reason.

The victims:

A 19-year-old man from Lincolnshire suffered a swollen bloodied nose and bruising to his face A 20-year-old man from Oxfordshire suffered a black eye A 19-year-old man from West Sussex taken to Queen Alexandra Hospital and found to have re-broken his collarbone following a previous injury A 20-year-old man from Gosport suffered minor injuries to his face

The suspects are described as:

White man, about 25-years-old, about 6ft tall, with a strong, stocky build/bordering on fat, shaven head, not wearing a top, may have had a tattoo on his chest White man, about 23-years-old, approx 5ft 10ins tall, medium build, dark hair, wearing a pale blue polo shirt and shorts White male, aged in late 30s to early 40s, about 5ft 10ins tall, medium build, dark but greying hair

DC Katie Wakefield from Portsmouth CID said: "The friends are all students and had met up in Portsmouth to watch the England v Algeria game.

"This was an apparently random attack by three older men, who are believed to be local, and who wrongly accused the friends of attacking them earlier in the evening.

"The lads were very shocked and upset over the incident and one had to stay in hospital overnight as a result of a broken shoulder caused when he fell.

"Please call me if you saw the attack or have any knowledge of who the offenders are."

Anyone with information is asked to contact DC Wakefield at Fratton police station on 101 or 0845 045 45 45 from outside Hampshire and the Isle of Wight.