Man and garda injured in broken bottle attack

A MAN brandishing a broken bottle caused terror in a Dublin suburb when he stabbed a man out walking in the park with his partner and child and later slashed a garda.

The man, 31, was arrested afterwards by gardaí and taken away for questioning.

The terrifying series of events happened in broad daylight at around teatime on Sunday. In the first incident, a couple were out walking in St Anne’s Park, Raheny, north Dublin, with their child when they came across the man.

“A man, his partner and young child were walking in St Anne’s Park when they were approached by a man who assaulted the male with what appeared to be a broken bottle,” said a Garda spokesman.

The victim, in his late 30s, was stabbed a number of times in front of his partner and child and was taken to hospital.

The attacker fled the scene and was later spotted by a garda on Main Street in Raheny.

When the garda approached the man, he lashed out and cut the garda around one of his eyes. The garda was taken to Beaumont Hospital but was later discharged.

Shortly after the attack, gardaí tracked the man down and arrested him.

He was taken to Raheny Garda Station and held under section 4 of the Criminal Justice Act, which allows for a maximum detention period of 24 hours, excluding breaks.

Detectives identified the man and are carrying out background checks, including with the health service, in relation to him.

“There is no doubt the officer involved in this incident must be commended for his bravery in his attempt to deal with the situation. I wish him a full recovery,” said Labour TD for Dublin North Central Aodhán Ó Ríordáin.

The Garda Representative Association (GRA) condemned the attack.

“This is an unacceptable occupational hazard,” said GRA president Damien McCarthy.