Takeaway owner stabbed

THE owner of a takeaway who asked a gang to move away from his premises was beaten and stabbed over the weekend.

Tony Chong, who is in his mid-30s and runs the popular Canton Chinese takeaway in the Hollyhill Shopping Centre on Cork’s northside, was lucky to survive.

A Garda spokesman said they are satisfied the attack was not racially motivated and are following a definite line of inquiry. He described it an “opportunist attack of wanton violence”.

Mr Chong was stabbed in the abdomen at about 1am on Saturday after asking a group of youths to leave the area outside his premises. It is understood he has had to ask gangs of youths, engaged in antisocial behaviour, to leave the area on several occasions.

A group was causing trouble again on Saturday morning. After Mr Chong asked them to leave, a group of about three or four men, ranging in age from late teens to early 20s, set upon him, beating him about the head and back. He also suffered a serious stab wound to his abdomen. He collapsed and was struck several times on the ground.

His attackers fled on foot as staff rushed to help. They called an ambulance and gardaí who were on the scene within minutes.

Mr Chong was rushed to CUH and underwent emergency surgery, but is recovering.