AN off-duty member of An Garda Siochana based in Gort, but visiting Limerick city when socialising with his wife, was left with a fractured skull after a group of teens launched a vicious attack and stole the her handbag.
Gardai arrived to a scene on St Patrick’s Road shortly after 3.30am last Sunday to find the Galway based garda in need of urgent medical attention for a serious head injury.
Diane McAuley, garda spokesperson attached to the Community Policing unit at Henry Street, said that the off-duty garda, aged in his 20s, and his wife, were being dropped off outside a house in Granville Park when a youth, described as being approximately in his early teens, tried to get into the car.
“The youth left the scene and returned with two others. At this stage, the original youth grabbed the lady’s handbag and ran.
“The garda gave chase and was then attacked and sustained a serious head injury.
“When gardaí arrived at the scene, he was removed to Limerick Regional Hospital”.
The incident is being fully investigated but detectives do not believe that the injured party was attacked because of his position.
Gardai are appealing for witnesses and are pursuing a definite line of inquiry.
The victim remains in a serious condition in hospital.
