A man who was assaulted after going to the aid of two women in Belfast is in a critical condition.
The 27-year-old is in hospital with a fractured skull following the assault by a group of men in central Belfast shortly before 2am yesterday.
Police said two women were approached by three men outside a bank on the Dublin Road and an altercation broke out, during which one of the women was punched in the face. Two passing men intervened to help. One of them was kicked and punched and fell to the ground, suffering a fractured skull.
The three assailants ran off along the Dublin Road. As they did so, they came upon a 34-year-old man who was walking along the street alone. He was punched in the face and suffered an eye injury that required hospital treatment.
Lord Mayor of Belfast Pat McCarthy said he was appalled by the incident. "People were out socialising and to be attacked and left critically ill in hospital beggars belief."
A PSNI spokesman appealed for anyone who witnessed either incident or who was on the Dublin Road at the time to contact them.
In a separate incident, three people were arrested in Derry following an attack on a 20-year-old man near a pub in Bank Place at about 1.30am. The victim was treated for a head wound. - (PA)