Man beaten ‘to pulp’ with hammer in savage attack

Date Published: 27-May-2010

by Frank Farragher

Gardai have appealed for witnesses to come forward in relation to one of the most savage assaults to have occurred in the city over recent times – the victim is in a ‘serious but stable’ condition at University Hospital Galway.

The assault occurred at Coolough near Menlo when an East European man in his 30s was ‘beaten to a pulp’ by a number of other men in a small shed near a house between 12 noon and 1pm.

The attack occurred off a laneway near the entrance to the Lackagh Rock quarry in a dispute which could be drugs related – the victim underwent surgery at UHG earlier this week but is now in a stable condition.

Gardai arrested one man on Wednesday in relation to the incident while a second man was arrested on Thursday – both have since been released without charge.

The Galway City Tribune understands that both men questioned are of Eastern European origin – Gardai will decide over the weekend whether to press charges or to prepare a file for sending to the DPP.

The Gardai though are understood to be pursuing a definite line of inquiry in their investigation and they expect to interview a number of other people over the coming days.

One or more implements – possibly a hammer – was used in the course of the assault which left the victim with serious injuries to different parts of his body.

He still managed to make his way from the shed where the assault occurred to the nearby laneway where he was spotted by a local man who immediately raised the alarm.

There were fears for a time on Tuesday that the victim might not survive the attack but medical personnel managed to stabilise his condition before emergency surgery was carried out.

The Gardai’s special crime scene unit cordoned off the area all day Tuesday and for a time on Wednesday morning – local people, in what is a quiet rural area, were said to be shocked at the savagery of the incident. House to house inquiries have also been carried out.

For more on this story, see the Galway City Tribune.