Concern over rise in savage bite attacks

AN increase in savage biting attacks in Cork city and county has left victims with whole ears, lips and even cheeks ripped off.

Gardaí have expressed concern about the attacks, the latest of which occurred last weekend when two brothers in their 20s had to undergo treatment at Cork University Hospital after having parts of their ears bitten off on St Patrick’s Street. It is expected they will have to endure skin grafts and even plastic surgery as a result.

The previous weekend a man was attacked at French Church Street and, according to Garda sources, had his bottom lip ripped right off.

The victim, also in his 20s, had to spend a number of days in hospital and will require ongoing treatment for quite some time.

Garda sources said the worst case they came across recently was an attack in a city centre nightclub.

“The perpetrator ripped off a huge chunk of flesh from the victim’s cheek. The hole was so big that you could put fingers through it into his mouth. It was the worst I’ve ever seen. It was horrendous,” a source said.

The attacks are normally perpetrated by men in their late teens or early 20s.

However, the victims aren’t always from the same age group.

A man in his 40s was attacked in Cobh a month ago and lost most of his ear.

The attack was so bad that surgeons were unable to re-attach the ear and he will require plastic surgery.

A file on that attack has been sent to the DPP.

A few months earlier, and also in Cobh, a man in his 20s had a large portion of his ear bitten off and will also need plastic surgery.

Chief Superintendent Michael Finn, who is in charge of policing Cork city, said he was very concerned about the savagery of the attacks.

“If you read victim impact statements, you will see that facial injuries in particular affect self-confidence. In these cases it’s a lifelong scar, not just physically but emotionally as well.”

The senior garda said there was some evidence to point to such violence being carried out by people who have consumed a cocktail of drink and drugs.

Dr Chris Luke, a consultant in emergency surgery at Mercy University Hospital, said savagery was increasing and pointed to a case in Newbridge, Co Kildare, last week where a gang cut off a man’s ear and forced him to eat it.

“It’s my perception that there has been a steady ratcheting up of the severity and savagery of violence in recent years,” Dr Luke said.

The consultant said a cocktail of drink and drugs was almost inevitably associated with such barbarity.

“Most of the brutal (drug gang) murders in Mexico are carried out by people who have taken tequila, cannabis and cocaine on board.

“Cannabis is frequently associated with violent psychosis. The most violent cocktail would be somebody taking alcohol, cannabis along with a stimulant such as crystal meth, amphetamines, cocaine or methadone.

“You get a greater level of savagery with this kind of combination.”

Some gardaí have also expressed concern that people addicted to violent video games are more likely to act in a savage manner because they don’t realise the full impact of what they are doing.