Man (19) dies after being assaulted twice on night out in Omagh

The PSNI and Garda are co-operating on an investigation into the death of a Co Monaghan man who, it is believed, was assaulted twice during a night out in Omagh, Co Tyrone.

Jason McGovern (19), Tydavnet, Co Monaghan, was found dead about 11am at a house in Emyvale, Co Monaghan, on New Year’s Eve.

Police believe he may have been assaulted by a stockily built man with ginger or blond hair. The PSNI has appealed for this man to come forward.

It is believed he was punched in a pub on John Street in Omagh at about midnight on Sunday and again hit about two hours later outside a nightclub at Kevlin Road in the town.

He died after managing to get back to a friend’s house in Emyvale. The scene at Emyvale was sealed off to allow for a full Garda technical examination, A postmortem was to be carried out to establish the exact cause of death.

Local civic and community leaders yesterday joined clergy in visiting the victim’s family home to comfort his parents, Séamus and Kathleen McGovern, and his grieving brothers, Jonathan and Niall.

The parish priest of Emyvale, Fr Hubert Martin, said: “We are all devastated by what has happened. It is a terrible blow for the family. Jason was a lovely young man and there was nothing he wouldn’t do to help others or the church.”

West Tyrone Sinn Féin Assembly member Declan McAleer said Mr McGovern and a friend were making their way along Kevlin Road when they were assaulted by a group of people.

“Whilst the postmortem will establish the exact cause of Jason’s death, I am very disturbed that he was the victim of such an attack in Omagh and I am also very concerned about the increasing level of drink fuelled crime in our community,” Mr McAleer said.

“Devastating”

“This is devastating news for the McGovern family. The loss of a loved one is terrible at any time of the year but is made more poignant as it coincides with the beginning of the new year.”

West Tyrone Ulster Unionist Assembly member Ross Hussey, offering his condolences, said: “The events surrounding Mr McGovern’s death are not clear, but it is believed that he was assaulted twice during a night out in Omagh.

“The PSNI and Garda have both appealed for information about the circumstances, and I would reiterate that call.”

Omagh SDLP councillor Dr Josephine Deehan said it was a “parent’s worst nightmare” that a young man could go out for an evening’s entertainment and such an incident would occur.