Gardaí set to arrest teenage gang who beat up mayor’s son
GARDAI are ready to arrest a gang of teenagers who savagely beat the adult son of the town mayor.
Detectives have taken a statement from Ciarán Reilly, 43, who suffered severe bruising and swelling to the face and head after the gang attacked him outside his shop last Sunday evening.
His father Tommy Reilly, the newly elected mayor of Navan, told the Irish Mail on Sunday his son could be dead if he had not intervened. He was disgusted to see the same gang walking down the street, giving the finger to passing cars moments after the attack.
He added that the same gang had earlier kicked a handbag out of the hands of an elderly woman and were well known in the town for causing havoc. ‘I didn’t know who they were that night but I do now. They’re probably 16 to 18 and well known in the town. Only for I got back for him, he could be dead.’
Ciarán Reilly was attacked outside Reilly’s Londis in Navan just after 9pm on Sunday. Tommy, 73, came to his rescue and dragged two of the men off his son, who received between 30 and 40 punches and kicks during the attack that lasted four to five minutes. It was clearly captured on CCTV. Ciarán was brought to Our Lady’s Hospital, Navan. He suffered swelling and bruising and believes he must have been concussed as he doesn’t remember much about the attack. He still feels dizzy and nauseous at times and his doctor sent him for a brain scan as a precaution.
Speaking to a local newspaper this week, Ciarán explained how the attack began. ‘One of them had robbed a 12-pack of Heineken on Wednesday, and I thought they were looking to rob alcohol again.
‘I was standing near the door. One came up to my face and said, “Are you starting?”. ‘I said I didn’t want any trouble. Then he made a swipe at me on the way out.
‘One would pounce and then step back as the other pounced. One hit a blow around my head and then grabbed a glass vase from the flower stand and fired it. The other guy hit me 10 or 11 punches to the back of the head. There was a group of teens standing across the road and some of them joined in. One of the guys working came out and tried to protect me and a lady was trying to break it up. But they came at me with another vase and I fell and two of them were on top of me punching. My father came along and threw them off. I was left in just my shorts, bleeding in my head and face and was black and blue.’
Mayor Reilly told the MoS how he was driving away from the shop and turned back when he saw what was happening in his car mirror.
‘These thugs were down the town enjoying themselves that evening while Ciarán was in casualty,’ he added. ‘Some of them have been up in court several times and they are still marauding around.
‘This was totally unprovoked. Something has to be done.’
A source said it was a particularly nasty attack and gardaí were hoping to make early arrests.
‘Only for I got back for him he could be dead’