Wedding party attacked by gang of armed thugs

THREE men were last night being treated in hospital after a wedding party was attacked and beaten by an armed gang who then stamped on the victims’ heads as they lay on the ground.

Seven men and one woman were set upon by a group armed with an iron bar, hammer and knife as they walked across a green in north Dublin.

Gardaí have three prime suspects, members of the same family from Finglas, where the attack occurred.

Eight people were returning from a wedding in the capital and stepped off a bus on the North Road before walking through the Casement and Plunkett estates.

At 2.15am, at a row of shops on Barry Avenue, they met a group of men.

One of the wedding party was from Manchester and the exchanges included racist remarks.

The party walked away across a green but were followed by three young men. The victims were attacked from behind by the trio.

One was swinging an iron bar, aiming for the heads of those in the party. The two others were brandishing a hammer and a knife.

Three of the men received blows to the head from either the bar or the hammer and fell to the ground. The others were kept at bay.

Before fleeing the scene, the trio stole the woman’s handbag and mobile phone.

Three of the victims were being treated in James Connolly Memorial Hospital last night. They have serious head injuries which are not life-threatening

Two others, a fourth man and the woman, were treated for minor injuries.

Anyone with information is asked to contact Finglas Garda Station on 01-6667500, the incident room on 6667512 or the Garda Confidential Line on 1-800-666-111.