Christmas shopper almost bled to death after vicious knife attack

A MAN who was knifed while Christmas shopping in Limerick almost bled to death after an artery was severed in the stabbing attack.

He underwent lifesaving treatment at the Mid-Western Regional Hospital.

Gardaí from Henry Street garda station were interviewing the victim at the hospital yesterday.

The vicious attack happened at around 8.30pm on Monday night in a shopping area car park on the Dublin road.

The victim had just returned to his car with Christmas shopping.

A garda spokesman said: “When he got to his car a youth was sitting on it. He asked this person to move and he did so. However, moments later the youth returned and pulled open the door of the car and attacked the victim with a knife as he was about to drive away.”

As blood gushed from a gaping wound, horrified shoppers rushed to his help and an ambulance was called to the scene.

The victim, believed to be a young man from Co Limerick, was rushed to the A&E in the Mid Western Regional Hospital where he was given emergency treatment and the flow of blood was stemmed. Due to the amount of blood he lost he was kept overnight in the intensive care unit.

Meanwhile, the authorities at Limerick prison have started a major crackdown on a very potent form of jail poteen which prisoners make for consumption at Christmas. The drink has a very high alcohol proof and is made from apples, sugar and water.

The chopped apples and sugar are put into plastic bottles and allowed ferment over a period of time in the water. One prison source said: “After a relatively small quantity of this, prisoners can get out of their mind falling all over the place. It’s very strong stuff.

“There is always a lot of activity trying to make it around this time of year as alcohol is not allowed in prisons.”