Gardaí have arrested a juvenile on in connection with a suspected homophobic attacked last week that left one of the victims with a number of stab wounds.
A juvenile was arrested on Thursday and was being held at Newbridge Garda station following the gang attack in the town’s train station last Friday, January 31st.
Gardaí said the suspect was being detained under Section 4 of the Criminal Justice Act, which allows for his detention for up to 24 hours without charge.
He is the second suspect that gardaí have questioned, though the first person was not arrested.
“A man in his late teens was also previously questioned in connection with this assault and an investigation file is being prepared for direction,” gardaí said of that older teenager.
The two men were attacked are gay and they believe it was a homophobic incident, saying slurs about their sexuality were shouted at them before their assailants set upon them. The victims also believe the violence was recorded by one of the attackers on his video phone.
One of the victims was taken from the railway station in Newbridge to Tallaght University Hospital, Dublin, for treatment for several stab wounds. His injuries were not life threatening.
The man who was less seriously injured said he was shocked that a day out in Newbridge had ended with him trying to stem blood from his partner’s stab wounds and fearing they may prove fatal.
He explained both he and his partner were “viciously attacked in a homophobic attack” adding he had been knocked to the ground and kicked repeatedly, including to the face.
The man added the attack had come to an end when one of the assailants had stabbed his partner in the leg, explaining there appeared to be four wounds.
Garda sources confirmed it was being treated as a suspected hate crime as the victims believe they were attacked because they were gay. The Irish Times understands further evidence, specifically related to the attackers’ motivation, was being sought before the crime would be formally classified as a homophobic attack.
