Robbed bar owner’s leg amputated

DUBLIN millionaire publican Charlie Chawke remains seriously ill after surgery to amputate his leg, injured during an armed robbery a week ago.

Family members have been at his bedside in the intensive care unit of St Vincent's Hospital in Dublin. Friends described Mr Chawke as being "in a bad way" after the operation to remove his leg from below the hip.

A spokesperson at the hospital described Mr Chawke, 54, as "seriously ill but stable".

Two men have been charged with firearms offences in connection with the robbery at The Goat Inn, a popular bar and restaurant in Goatstown in South Dublin.

Doctors said it was a miracle he had not bled to death. During emergency surgery hospital staff had to administer more than 40 pints of blood to the badly injured man.

Senator Eddie Bohan, a business associate of Mr Chawke, said doctors had fought all week to save his leg, but they decided to amputate the limb above the knee last Friday.

Mr Chawke, who owns a number of pubs, was about to bring the pub's takings €48,000 to the bank when he was held up. Four unarmed gardaí, based in nearby Dundrum, gave chase and made arrests.

Meanwhile, garda investigations are continuing into the brutal murder of Finglas man Patrick Sheridan, a small-time criminal, whose body was found in a ditch at Scribblestown Lane, Finglas, on Friday.

Missing from his home for four days, he was the 17th victim of gangland crime this year. He had been shot in the leg before being shot twice in the head. Detectives fear the latest killing may trigger an all-out bloodbath by gangs.

Local Sinn Féin councillor Dessie Ellis said he recognised gardaí had saturated the area in the last three weeks, but expressed concern that murders were still taking place. But there was a climate of fear among people who were unwilling to come forward and assist the gardaí.