Garda presence in city boosted after shooting

GARDA MANPOWER will be increased in Waterford city this weekend amid fears of reprisals following the shooting of a 14-year-old boy outside his home on Thursday afternoon.

The boy, who is in a "stable" condition and is recovering in hospital, was sprayed with pellets in his chest, arm and the side of his face in the incident.

Named locally as Jason Stokes, the teenager had been helping his mother with her shopping when he was shot outside his front door in Ardmore Park, Ballybeg, at about 3pm.

His assailant ran to a waiting car which was driven away at speed and was later found burned out near Butlerstown church, about 5km away. It is understood that the three occupants of the maroon-coloured car switched vehicles at Butlerstown.

Gardaí believe that the shooting is related to an ongoing dispute between Travellers in the city in recent weeks.

On Thursday evening there was much speculation that Jason was shot in a case of mistaken identity. However, other reports suggested that the incident was an elevation of the dispute.

A car was also burned out outside a house in Kilcohan before 3am yesterday, in an incident thought to be related to the dispute. A shooting had occurred at this house at about 12.10am on Monday.

A family of two adults and eight children escaped uninjured when shots were fired through a window at the rear of the house in Crystal Court.

A shot was discharged in Farran Park early on August 5th, while a similar incident happened at the housing estate five days previously.

It is feared that separate mediation talks brokered by gardaí in Waterford and in Midleton may have broken down.

No arrests have been made regarding the latest shooting and no firearm has yet been recovered.

Locals claim that at least one of the families involved in disturbances was given a local authority house by Waterford City Council after being ordered out of another jurisdiction by order of a court.

The feud is understood to have started on July 12th during a bout of bare-knuckle boxing.

A relative of Jason Stokes, Christopher Stokes, received serious head injuries after being struck with a hammer in the head during a fight at the Six Cross Roads.

Mr Stokes was set upon by a number of men and, while he has since been released from hospital, Garda sources maintain "he will never be the same again".

There have been numerous arrests in connection with this assault and other incidents connected to the feud.

Sgt Larry Langton last night said there would be "extra manpower" in the city over the weekend. An armed Garda presence has been on duty at Waterford Regional Hospital since the shooting on Thursday and armed gardaí will remain at various locations in the city in the coming days, it emerged.

Waterford city councillor and Ballybeg resident Tom Murphy last night said: "People in the area are absolutely terrified over this . . . and that's sad, because there are good Travellers out there.

"I'd like to see all the residents' associations in the city's estates come together as one group, with one voice. We're all facing the same problems," Mr Murphy added.