A TEENAGER has been charged with assaulting an Irishman in an allegedly unprovoked attack in Australia’s capital, Canberra, last weekend.
Timothy McCarthy (41), from Spa, Co Kerry, was hit in the head at about 5.30am last Sunday in the Civic district of Canberra. The single blow caused severe brain haemorrhaging.
Staff at a local Quick and Go 24-hour shop saw a group of five or six men believed to be responsible for the assault and called the police. The group ran away before the police arrived. Security staff working nearby placed Mr McCarthy in the recovery position before he was taken to Canberra Hospital by ambulance.
Mr McCarthy underwent emergency surgery last Sunday morning. A spokesman at the hospital told The Irish Timeslast night that his condition is "serious but stable".
After viewing closed-circuit television footage and talking to witnesses, police arrested a local man, Daniel Byrne (18), in a house in the Canberra suburb of Franklin. A number of items in the house were also seized.
Mr Byrne appeared in the Australian Capital Territory (ACT) Magistrates Court yesterday charged with intentionally inflicting grievous bodily harm.
He did not enter a plea and did not apply for bail. He was remanded in custody pending a further hearing on Friday.
The footage of the incident is believed to show Mr McCarthy walking alone when he was approached and struck in an unprovoked attack. The police say it does not appear Mr McCarthy was robbed in the attack.
Police are still seeking a group of men who were present during the incident. They have spoken to several witnesses, including one who reportedly has confirmed the identity of the offender.
“We do expect to make some arrests within the next couple of days, but at this stage we’re making further inquiries,” Det Sgt Matt Innes said.
“The CCTV has been of very strong assistance to us . . . it came from both the Quick and Go shop and also the ACT government CCTV . . . [it happened at] 5.30 in the morning, there are still several people around the place . . . we would like to hear from other members of the public who witnessed this.”
The area around where Mr McCarthy was attacked is busy in the early hours of Sundays, with people leaving nightclubs and walking to a nearby taxi rank.
The Irish embassy in Canberra has been in contact with Mr McCarthy’s family in Ireland and has offered consular assistance.