Attack on animal warden ‘sickening’
Yesterday, Clare’s Irish Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ISPCA) warden Frank Coote vowed to carry on his job after being the victim of what he called a “senseless attack”, in the course of his work.
A popular figure in Co Clare, the Ennis man was driven off the road last Thursday and dragged out of his van by a lone man in his late 30s, who then assaulted him.
Mr Coote was hospitalised as a result of the injuries he sustained.
He suffered bad bruising as a result of being head-butted, stabbed with his own keys and punched in the attack, which happened on the western relief road of the Ennis bypass at 3.40pm on December 23.
Mr Coote — who has a weekly animal welfare slot on Clare FM — said: “I didn’t know what was going on. I had no chance. A white van drove me off the road and a man got out, came back to my van, opened the door, hit me and took the keys out.”
Mr Coote said that the man then pulled him out of the van and proceeded to assault him, by head-butting him, punching him and stabbing him in the hands and neck with the car keys.
Mr Coote, who has been in his current role involving work with Clare County Council for 10 years, said: “I got a bad beating. I was in shock. You don’t expect that during the course of your job. I have been obstructed before maybe, but never anything like this.”
Mr Coote said that the attacker complained over a dog being taken by him eight months ago. Mr Coote said: “I explained that I didn’t take the dog and pleaded with him, but he continued to assault me.
Mr Coote said: “I am not going to allow one person stop me in my job. This is all I know, all I do.
“I’m okay now, thank God. I was lucky. Nothing is broken. I have a black eye and bruising around the mouth.”
Mr Coote was back at work on Christmas morning, braving sub-zero temperatures to ensure horses in distress were fed and watered. He said: “The horses were in dire straits. They needed looking after.”
A garda spokesman confirmed yesterday that they are investigating the attack and hope to arrest a man later this week. He described the incident as ‘sickening’ and ‘deplorable’.
“A public official was forced to stop his van by another vehicle and was beaten firstly and then pulled out onto the road and belted again,” he said.
