This article is from page 5 of the 2006-01-03 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 5 JPG
A 24-YEAR-old west Clare man sustained a horrific injury after being stabbed in the eye, while attending a Christmas party on St Stephen’s night.
Gardai say the injured man was approached at a house party – which was taking place in an apartment block close to the town centre – and stabbed with what is believed to have been a fork.
A number of people who were also attending the party were interviewed, as part of the investigation into the incident.
A foreign national in his 20s, who was in the apartment at the time, was arrested by gardai and detained at Ennis garda station under Section Four of the Criminal Justice Act.
He was subsequently released without charge and a file is being sent to the Director of Public Prosecutions.
“The injured man received a very serious facial injury. We are not looking for anybody else in relation to this matter,” said a garda spokesman.
Meanwhile Ennis gardai received an allegation of a sexual assault in the toilets of The Grove public house in Roslevan on St Stephen’s night.
However it was not followed up by the alleged injured party.
“A female alleged she was sexually assaulted in the toilet area but todate a formal complaint has not been forthcoming,” said a garda spokesman.
Separately, a foreign national in his 40s will appear in court later this week, charged with theft, arising out of an incident in Ennis town centre shortly before midnight on New Year’s Eve.
The man was arrested on Parnell Street at 11.25pm, after he was stopped by gardai who were travelling in an unmarked patrol car.
He is accused of stealing a ladie’s handbag from a licensed premises in town.
Meanwhile, gardai are investigating an incident in which two panes of glass were broken at The Clare People offices on St Stephen’s night.
The glass was smashed on the Turnpike road entrance to the premises. However entry was not gained to the building.
Ennis gardai are appealing for information and can be contacted on (065) 6848100.