Spanish assault victim ‘has no intention of leaving the country’

A Spaniard who had 21 staples inserted in a head wound after a vicious and unprovoked attack by a gang of youths in Cork has said he has no intention of leaving this country.

And Jordi Roca, a 39-year-old delicatessen employee, said he still “loves Irish people”.

He was on his way home from a party with four friends when he was attacked by the gang in Cork City at around 10pm on Monday.

Mr Roca, who lives in Summerhill North, was attacked at the White Street car park on the southside of the city and was hit over the head with what gardaí believe was a golf club.

He was discharged from the South Infirmary on Wednesday.

“I don’t know if I will be physically scarred for life, but I will have to, mentally, carry the scar for the rest of my life,” Mr Roca said. He said one of the worst aspects of the attack was the reaction, afterwards, of his son Oliver, aged 2.

“He was scared of me when he saw the scar and my hair had been shaved off. I suppose that is normal; after all he’s just two years old. But he’s coming back to normality now,” Mr Roca said.

The Spaniard, living in Cork for four years, said despite the violence meted out to him he is still very fond of Cork people and Irish people in general.

“Unfortunately, there are some bad people in all parts of the world. If this happened to an Irish person in Spain I’m sure they wouldn’t think that all Spanish people were bad,” he said.

Mr Roca said he was hoping to be able to return to work at Sexton’s delicatessen on the Old Blackrock Road in the next couple of weeks.

Lord Mayor of Cork Terry Shannon said he would host a reception at City Hall for the injured man when he is better.

“I want to make it clear that we do not condone this action and want to apologise to him on behalf of the people of Cork,” Cllr Shannon said.

A woman friend of Mr Roca received a minor head injury in the same attack but didn’t require hospital treatment.

Two youths were arrested and questioned by gardaí.

They were later released without charge and a file is being prepared for the Director of Public Prosecutions.

Others have since been interviewed by gardaí and the investigation is continuing.

Gardaí have appealed for anybody who was in the vicinity of the White Street car park at that time to contact them if they saw the attack on Mr Roca and his friends.

* Witnesses are asked to contact Anglesea Street Garda Station at [phone].