The Kerryman (South Kerry Edition)
Man almost beaten to death
Gardaí question two men following Castleisland assault that left victim fighting for his life
THE victim of Sunday’s vicious assault in Castleisland was described as ‘stable’ by Tuesday as gardaí continued to quiz a second man arrested in relation to the attack.
Gardaí and medics initially feared for the assault victim’s life after he was found lying on the street in St Stephen’s Park early on Sunday. He was rushed to University Hospital Kerry before his subsequent transfer to Cork University Hospital, where he was taken off life support and was breathing on his own by Tuesday.
Two men - one aged 19, the other in his 20s –were arrested in connection with the incident. The 19-year-old was released without charge on Tuesday.
A MAN was left fighting for his life after a brutal assault in Castleisland on Sunday in which his assailants struck him repeatedly on the head with a blunt instrument, believed to have been a bat.
Gardaí were still searching for the weapon used in the brutal assault of the man, aged in his late 20s, at the time of press on Tuesday, following the incident which has rocked the town.
Gardaí and medics feared for the man’s life such were the extent of his injuries after he was discovered lying on the street near his home by neighbours in St Stephen’s Park in Castleisland at 5.30am on Sunday.
He was rushed to University Hospital Kerry and subsequently transferred to Cork University Hospital where his condition was initially described as ‘critical’.
However, by Tuesday afternoon the medical team was able to take him off life support as his condition improved. He was described as ‘stable’ by time of press.
Two men have been arrested in connection with the vicious assault. The first arrest of a 19-year-old was carried out on Sunday afternoon with the youth detained for questioning at Tralee Garda Station under the provisions of section four of the Criminal Justice Act, 1984. The 19-year-old was released without charge on Tuesday and a file is to be prepared for the Director of Public Prosecutions.
A second man, aged in his 20s, was arrested on Monday morning and at the time of press he remained in custody at Tralee Garda Station, where he was being questioned by the investigating team.
Gardaí are continuing to appeal for anyone with information or anyone who was in the St Stephen’s Park area of Castleisland around the time of the incident to contact Tralee Garda Station.
They issued a specific appeal also for anyone who might have seen a group of two to three young men on the streets of Castleisland on Sunday to contact them also at Tralee Garda Station.
Gardaí sealed off the area following the discovery of the injured man, as forensics officers mounted a detailed examination of the scene. Officers also carried out an extensive search of the wider St Stephen’s Park area as they hunted for the weapon used – believed to have been a bat or similar blunt instrument. They used long poles to probe hedges and vegetation in St Stephen’s Park and the adjacent St John’s Park as the search widened on Tuesday morning.
Anyone with any information is urged to contact Tralee Garda Station on (066) 7102300.