The family of a boy who was subject to a vicious assault in Navan – which was filmed and posted to social media – have condemned the attack as “horrific and wrong”.
Local paper, the Meath Chronicle, said that Gardai confirmed the teenager had attended hospital. His family said he suffered concussion, four broken teeth, and bruising to the face and head.
Meanwhile a spokesperson for the school’s patron body LMETB has confirmed that it is aware of the alleged incident and that “significant disciplinary procedures have been initiated at school level” and said they “await the outcome of due process”.
The victim of the assault was just 14 years old and local gardai have confirmed that he attended the emergency department at Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital following the horrific attack on Monday and was released a few hours later.
There has been an outpouring of support for the teenager and his family, and his mother posted on a Facebook Page that she “hoped something would be done by both the school and the Gardai”.
“To think that anyone has the right to put their hands on someone because of who they are is absolutely disgusting in this day and age,” she wrote.
Another relative wrote: “Absolutely disgusting people for doing that to my nephew today. They should be ashamed of themselves and so should the people watching it and cheering, I hope their parents are proud of them to do that to a 14-year-old boy that couldn’t defend himself”.
Another family member addressed those involved saying: “every one of the people that were involved and filming it should be ashamed of themselves, laughing and thought was funny watching him get beaten as he screamed for them to stop”.
Gardaí confirmed they are investigating the assault and have requested that people refrain from sharing the video.
They said they were “aware of a video circulating on social media of this incident and out of respect for the victim in this case we would request that people refrain from sharing this video”.
The video shows the school student being struck in the face by another young man, before a second youth hits him twice. As he tries to get away from his attackers, the teenager is set on by a large group of youths.
Others appear to encourage the attack, with voices heard shouting “come on, lads” and “bad out boys” as the teenager is punched and kicked.
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