GARDAÍ YESTERDAY appealed for witnesses as they investigated a weekend assault in Cork city centre which left a 30-year-old man fighting for his life in hospital after he suffered serious injuries to the head.
The Polish national was seriously injured when he was assaulted by another man on Lower Oliver Plunkett Street at the back of the Simon Shelter on Anderson’s Quay at about 6.30 on Saturday evening.
The injured man was noticed by a passerby who notified the emergency services and he was rushed to Cork University Hospital where he underwent emergency surgery. His condition was described yesterday as “still critical”.
Gardaí were quickly on the scene and arrested a 28-year-old man, who is originally from east Cork, for questioning about the attack and he was brought to the Bridewell Garda station.
Detectives believe the injured man, who has been in Ireland for a number of years and has been living recently in hostel accommodation with both Simon and the St Vincent de Paul, may have been hit with a bottle before being knocked to the ground.
Gardaí cordoned off the scene of the attack on Saturday evening and technical experts carried out a forensic examination of the area and recovered fragments of a broken bottle before the area was reopened to the public.
Detectives believe that there may have been up to half a dozen people, many of whom are sleeping rough or living in nearby hostel accommodation, in the area at the time.
Gardaí have also begun examining CCTV footage from a number of local business premises,including hotels, to see if any of the cameras located there captured the assault and they have also carried out door-to-door inquiries at some houses in the area.