Arrest made after man has ear sawn off

A MAN in his 30s has been arrested in connection with slicing off another man’s ear in a shocking knife attack in Dublin’s south inner city.

The Dublin man, who is a member of the Traveller community, was staying at Back Lane Hostel in Christchurch Square, when he was arrested by gardaí from Kevin Street on Wednesday afternoon. He was arrested after a uniformed officer found the severed ear outside the homeless shelter. Bloodstained clothing was later recovered from one of the suspect’s lockers at the hostel. He was released later that day.

Senior sources say that at least three men were involved in the ‘savage’ ear-cutting and ‘it seems like they took the ear as a memento, before discarding it outside their hostel’. The victim was found outside his flat at Whitefriar Gardens shortly after 9am after emerging bleeding and screaming.

The victim, 40, is a crack cocaine addict, convicted violent robber, arsonist and also has a conviction for biting a garda. The career criminal was having a drink- and drug-fuelled party at his flat when at least three men, including the Traveller, ‘turned on him’ and ‘held him down and sliced off most of his ear and also stabbed him twice in the chest’, according to a senior source.

The source said: ‘It would remind you of that dreadful scene from the film Reservoir Dogs. It’s barbaric.’

It is understood that the victim briefly spoke to gardaí, but declined to make a statement naming his attackers, saying he just wants to ‘forget it happened’. However, gardaí will speak to him again once he is medically fit to be interviewed.

The victim remains in a serious but stable condition at St James’s Hospital.

While investigations are at an early stage, sources suggest he may have been attacked over a minor unpaid drugs debt.