Acting Chief Inspector Tony Rowlinson said: “We enquired with the victim’s family as to whether they would be prepared to remove the online petition to help reduce any future community tension in the area.

“At no point did we suggest the petition could have offended the attacker.

“There are a lot of issues here and we have a responsibility to all concerned, including the wider community.

“It was only a suggestion and we cannot make the family remove the petition.”