U.K. prime minister Gordon Brown met Wednesday with man who survived a hate-crime attack last year.

James Downey Parks and his partner, Thomas, met with Brown at a GLBT History Month celebration at 10 Downing St.

Parks, an off-duty police trainee at the time, was assaulted by a gang of teenage boys in Liverpool, England in October.

"We all went into shock and mourning as a spate of homophobic and transphobic attacks made us wonder if the hard-fought progress that we had all made together was being reversed by a new wave of mindlessness and hate," Brown said in a speech at the event. "When James Parkes was hospitalised, we all held him in our thoughts and prayers. We waited for him to pull through. I am pleased to say that, not only has James recovered, but he came out of hospital in January, and two weeks ago he and Tom became husband and husband. They are with us tonight.

The event on Wednesday also celebrated the 10-year anniversary of the British armed forces lifting the ban on gay and lesbians serving openly.