Takeaway attack victim dies in Australia

An Irish man attacked in Australia has died in hospital, police said today.

Gearoid Walsh, 23, received severe head injuries in the late-night assault at a takeaway in the Sydney suburb of Coogee on Sunday.

He was rushed to hospital and put on a life support machine but a spokeswoman for New South Wales Police said he had died overnight.

Mr Walsh’s mother had flown out to be by her son’s bedside at the Prince of Wales Hospital in Sydney.

His brother and sister also live in the country.

Detectives believe Mr Walsh had been out drinking at hotels in the area before getting involved in an argument with a man at a food shop.

He was punched and fell to the ground, hitting his head on the pavement.

It is understood Mr Walsh had been living in Dublin before travelling to Australia a month ago on a working visa.

Police released video footage of a man they want to interview in relation to the assault.

“We would like to speak to the person in this CCTV footage as we believe he can provide us with information as to what happened,” Detective Inspector Paul Simpkins said.

Coogee, in eastern Sydney, is a popular destination for Irish and British tourists.

Last August Cork man David Keohane was left in a coma after being attacked while walking home from a party in the beachside suburb.