A SECURITY guard was suspended yesterday after allegedly throwing a bucket of cold water over homeless people sleeping near a shopping centre.

The incident is understood to have taken place on Sunday night in a doorway at the Castle Mall centre in Norwich as temperatures dropped below freezing.

Volunteer group The People’s Picnic flagged up the incident on social media, saying: “Not only did he leave them in soaking wet clothes, freezing and exposed to harsh declining temperatures, but also drenched their sleeping bags, which were the only other means of keeping them warm.

“Performing such an act of hostility with intent to harm is classified as an assault and the incident needs to be thoroughly investigated. Behaviours and attitudes like this cannot become a societal norm.

“We are shocked and disgusted by the type of behaviour shown.”

Castle Mall centre manager Amanda Phillips confirmed the security guard, an Interserve employee, has been suspended on the grounds of gross misconduct and is no longer w