Mob f ilm garda attack

‘Sick’ partygoers used camera phones to record officer being slashed... but footage could help catch the assailants

PARTYGOERS used their camera phones to film a horrific blade attack on a garda.

The attack took place two weeks ago at a house party in Tallaght when two gardaí called at the door having received complaints about noise.

Guests turned on the officers, one of whom required 25 stitches on his face and lip after he was slashed with a razor blade.

The other garda, in his late 20s, was attacked and bitten.

Gardaí have now seized the mobile phones with the footage.

The Irish Daily Mail understands that arrests are now imminent.

A source said: ‘It was a very vicious assault on two officers. The assault itself is bad enough but for some of the others to actually record it as a “happy slapping” incident, that is truly appalling.

‘But it has backfired on them, because gardaí now have the footage when we seized a number of phones of people who were at the party.

‘We are living in an age where people will record almost anything and it has worked to garda advantage in this instance.’

Up to 30 people were at the party and while only a small number attacked gardaí, many of the others are understood to have watched passively.

Armed garda units responded when the two officers were set upon at the 21st birthday party at Redwood Lawn, Tallaght on March 10. The blade assault occurred in the bathroom of the house.

Four men and two women, ranging in age from their 20s to their 50s, were arrested at the scene but were released without charge. A file is being prepare for the DPP.

It is understood that one of the chief suspects is an ex-army soldier.

Residents complained that there was a lot of noise at the party.

One local said: ‘I think it was a 21st they were celebrating, but there was enough people there to fill a pub.’

‘Then a squad car arrived and

‘It really got out of hand’

there was people jeering and booing them and the next thing I saw was garda vans and all sorts arriving.

‘It really got out of hand and had to be broken up.’

He added: ‘I didn’t see any ambulance, but there was plenty of garda vehicles.’ The 32-year- old garda whose face was slashed will have to undergo plastic surgery and remains off work.

Sources say he is understandably shaken and traumatised but dealing with it well overall.

He was treated for his injuries at Tallaght Hospital.

The two officers used pepper spray to defend themselves during the assault.

It is understood that some of those involved in the assault were highly intoxicated.

The gardaí called to the front door at around 4am that morning and then went inside to tell the party guests to keep the noise down.

But some of the group became very aggressive and launched an attack on the officers.

One of the gardaí managed to call for back-up and at least four other squad cars arrived promptly on the scene, including two armed units.

The incident was eventually broken up by the gardaí.

Gardaí later tracked down everyone who attended the party and interviewed them.

It is understood that gardaí are confident that they have significant evidence against the chief suspects in the attack, including the suspect who slashed the officer’s face with the blade.

A source added: ‘The mobile phone footage is a key party of our evidence but there is other significant evidence also.’

‘Happy slapping’ was a fad that began in the UK and later spread to the rest of Europe.

It involves an victim being assaulted while others record the assault, usually with smartphones.

Happy slapping usually refers to relatively minor acts of violence but there have been disturbing instances where more serious crimes such as stabbings and rapes have also been recorded and later recovered by investigating police.