ACCORDING to the Irish Examiner, “Dr Graham Barnfield, a media lecturer at the University of East London, has blamed MTV stunt shows such as Jackass and Dirty Sanchez for the rise of ‘happy slapping.’”(Gardaí investigate ‘happy slapping’ attack, August 3).

GARDAÍ in Tipperary are investigating one of the first instances in the country of a ‘happy slapping’ attack amid reports that up to 12 young people assaulted an 18-year-old man over the weekend and recorded it on their phones.