Attack leaves Derry man fighting for life

An attack which left a young man fighting for his life in Derry is being treated as attempted murder, police confirmed tonight.

Don McMenamin, aged 20, is critically ill in hospital after being beaten with a blunt instrument – believed to be a wheelbrace – in the Rosemount area of the city.

A 31-year-old man is being questioned by police about the assault which took place in the early hours of Saturday morning.

A woman, believed to be the man’s husband is being held on suspicion of withholding information, while four other people have been released.

The family have been gathered round the victim’s bedside at Altnagelvin Hospital in Derry, where he is on a life support machine.

The victim’s uncle Charlie McMenamin said the whole family were in a state of shock after the incident.

“At the moment everybody is in shock and we are finding it very hard to deal with. We wouldn’t want any other family to be put through what we are going through at the moment.”

Det. Chief Insp. Tom Woods said it appeared the victim tried to stop a fight which had broken out after young people returned to the city after a night out in Letterkenny, Co Donegal.

The officer said the dispute had appeared to have settled when a man got out of a dark coloured car and approached the group.

“He then returned to the car and returned with what we believe was a silver heavy object which he used to strike one of the group on the head.

“This caused serious injury to the party involved and as a result that young man is currently in Altnagelvin Hospital fighting for his life.”

He added: “It appears to be a pointless motiveless attack and it has left a family shattered.”