Thugs targeting homeless, set man alight

GANGS of young thugs are targeting homeless people for “kicks”, according to the Simon Community.

The indiscriminate assaults, mainly in Dublin, include beatings and arson attacks. In one incident, a man in his sixties had his makeshift tent set alight while he was sleeping inside.

With two serious incidents reported each month, Dublin Simon has warned it is only a matter of time before someone is seriously injured or even killed.

The warning follows a horrific attack in Dublin on Wednesday morning. A man sleeping in a doorway of a city centre shop had his legs set on fire.

He suffered third degree burns to his feet and legs after two young men poured lighter fuel over his lower body and set him alight.

The man, who is in his forties and with an address in Co Meath, is believed to have been on a night out in Dublin and fell asleep after a few drinks.

Gardaí said his attackers thought the man was homeless.

The man, who is being treated in St James Hospital, would have been more seriously injured but for the actions of three quick-thinking milkmen. Brian Power and teenagers John Kinsella and Conor Beacom used milk to put out the flames.

Greg Maxwell, Dublin Simon director, said is time to highlight the alarming rise in violent attacks, despite fears that doing so might provoke copycat attacks.

“Wednesday’s attack could have been a matter of life or death. That's the reason we decided to go public.

“Around about a year ago, we first started to hear reports of groups of mainly young men who target rough sleepers.

"The attacks are entirely random. There is no obvious evidence that these youths are high on drink or drugs themselves. It's just senseless.”

Renewing calls for immediate Government investment to radically slash the number of rough sleepers, Mr Maxwell said the homeless are more than twice as likely to suffer serious physical assault.

Figures show over half of all female rough sleepers have been assaulted, either physically or sexually, in the last year.