Man stabbed several times in Cork City knew his attacker

The man who was stabbed in the neck, chest, back, and shoulder in Cork City early yesterday knew his attacker.

Both men are known to gardaí and detectives are following a definite line of enquiry.

A 27-year-old man with an address in the city suffered several stab wounds to his upper body during the assault in the city centre at about 2.30am.

He was rushed by ambulance to Cork University Hospital, where his injuries were described as not life-threatening.

Gardaí were on the scene quickly and arrested a 41-year-old man nearby for an alleged public order offence. He was subsequently released without charge.

Detectives conducted a preliminary interview with the stab victim at CUH yesterday.

Supt Barry McPolin said that while gardaí are examining all the circumstances surrounding the attack in a bid to establish a motive, they are “following a definite line of enquiry”.

They believe that the stabbing was linked to an earlier verbal altercation between the two men, who had been among a group gathered on nearby MacCurtain St.

The row continued east along MacCurtain St and down Bridge St, before the group moved across St Patrick’s Bridge and on to the city’s main street.

The 27-year-old was assaulted on the plaza at the junction of St Patrick’s St with Winthrop St at around 2.30am.

Gardaí recovered a knife on Coburg St, north of the River Lee, which they believe may have been used in the attack. It is now being forensicallyexamined.

They are investigating the possibility that the man may have been assaulted in this area too.

The area on St Patrick’s St and the area where the knife was recovered were sealed off for a technical examination by Garda forensic experts early yesterday.

Gardaí are also examining footage captured by their own CCTV system, as well as footage from cameras owned by local businesses, in a bid to piece together what happened.

“We would appeal to any witnesses who were in the MacCurtain St, Coburg St, or St Patrick’s St areas between 2am and 2.30am yesterday to contact gardaí at Anglesea St on 021 452 2000,” said Supt McPolin.