Son of Minister for Justice assaulted

Gardaí have confirmed they are investigating an unprovoked assault on the son of the Minister for Justice, Mr McDowell.

Hugh McDowell (14) was attacked by a group of four youths as he walked through Ranelagh, Dublin, last week. Gardaí are understood to have questioned one teenager in connection with the attack.

A Garda Síochána official said there was no question that he had been targeted because his father was the Minister for Justice.

"These kind of assaults are, unfortunately, one of the offences that Garda stations are dealing with on a regular basis. The assault is being investigated like every other assault. Just because it's the son of the Minister for Justice doesn't mean it's getting more priority than any other case," the official said.

A spokesman for Mr McDowell did not wish to comment on the case. It is understood his son was reluctant to report the matter to the Garda because of the publicity it would receive. However, the matter was officially reported to gardaí last Thursday.

Another of Mr McDowell's sons was also assaulted close to the family's home last year. The Minister was criticised afterwards when he admitted he had failed to report the matter to gardaí.

Sources say the teenager was walking close to his home at about 7 p.m. last Wednesday when he was attacked by a group of young people. He did not receive any major injuries.

It was reported yesterday that the gang attempted to run away when a local shop-owner intervened and apprehended one of them. There is also a 24-hour Garda presence outside the Minister's home, and reports say that officer also arrived on the scene.

Garda sources say they have interviewed one teenager in relation to the attack and want to interview three other individuals.

The assault comes at a time when official crime figures show the number of unprovoked assaults is on the increase.

Garda statistics published earlier this month reported that serious crime rose by 22 per cent overall, with a dramatic 50 per cent increase in assault. It was the second substantial annual increase in a row, and reported serious crime has now risen by more than 40 per cent since 2000.

Mr McDowell said at the time of the publication of the figures that they caused him great concern and that much of the increase was driven by drug and alcohol abuse.

He also said 300 extra gardaí would shortly be recruited, and the promise to recruit an extra 2,000 in the Government's lifetime remained.

Opposition politicians have described the statistics as "a national emergency" and "an unprecedented descent into violence and thuggery".