A LIMERICK teenager suffered serious injuries and will need surgeries to repair damage to his jaw after a vicious assault at a well-known city park last week.
On Thursday last (October 12), a 15-year-old was in the People’s Park after school when he was approached by another teenager that he didn’t know, who asked him for a fight.
When the younger boy declined, the older male punched the teen eight or nine times in the face before running off, according to Sergeant Ber Leetch, Crime Prevention Officer at Henry Street Garda Station.
The young teen suffered a broken right jaw and broken teeth in the attack. According to Sergeant Leetch, his jaw will need to have a metal plate fitted to repair the damage.
Gardaí are investigating all the circumstances around the incident, and are appealing for anyone with any information they might have about this attack to come forward.
Sergeant Leetch explained that the attacker was wearing a grey Adidas tracksuit, was approximately 17 or 18 years old, and spoke with a “local accent”.
This comes after local councillors made the call for more Gardaí to be on patrol in the People’s Park area to combat drug dealing and anti-social behaviour from taking place in the popular local amenity.
Speaking in November last year, Labour councillor Joe Leddin said that he had received numerous calls from concerned parents who witnessed drug dealing and anti-social behaviour as they took their children to the park.
“The park is without question a jewel in our city. The amenities and attractions and the children’s playground are very popular,” he said at the time.
“It is completely unacceptable that there are thugs using the park for both drug dealing and anti-social behaviour.”
Cllr Leddin called for CCTV surveillance of the area to be considered, along with regular Garda patrols.
Following this, a motion was passed at a Metropolitan District Council meeting in December of last year proposing that CCTV be installed in the People’s Park to stem anti-social behaviour there.
Gardaí in Roxboro Road Garda Station are appealing for any witnesses of the assault in the park last Thursday to come forward and contact Roxboro Garda Station on 061 214340, the Garda confidential line 1800 666 111, or any Garda station.
