Man suffers homophobic insults, punched

A Melbourne man who was enjoying an evening picnic with friends in the St Kilda Botanical Gardens has been verbally abused and punched in the nose.

Police are looking for four men who yelled homophobic insults before attacking the 32-year-old man when he went to use the park's public toilet at 8.30pm on January 9.

He eventually escaped, but returned with his friends to confront the abusive quartet, which by then had whittled down to two.

Police say a woman also joined the two remaining attackers.

Another argument broke out and the victim was kicked and punched again by the two remaining attackers.

He was left with broken nose and heavy bruising and was treated by paramedics.

It's believed the attackers were aged in their late teens.