Gardaí are appealing for information after an aggravated burglary at the weekend in which a teenager lost three fingers.
The incident occurred shortly after midnight in the early hours of Saturday morning at a house on Kilcronan Close, Clondalkin, Dublin.
A spokesman for the Garda said two masked and hooded men entered a property armed with what appeared to be a knife and assaulted a 16-year-old boy. The teenager suffered serious injuries to his hands, the spokesman added.
The boy was taken to St James Hospital with non-life threatening injuries. It’s understood he is still in hospital.
A garda source said there were conflicting statements from witnesses on the matter of the weapon used by the assailants with some reports that it was a machete. “We’re not entirely sure,” said the source. “There are different accounts from witnesses but it was an instrument with a blade and they were able to do substantial damage.”
Fianna Fáil councillor for Clondalkin Trevor Gilligan said the attack had been carried out by a criminal gang who were allegedly demanding a portion of the proceeds from burglaries carried out by the boy.
“This is a disgraceful and barbaric attack, the worst I’ve come across since becoming a councillor for the area ten years ago,” said Mr Gilligan. “The fact that a criminal gang would cut off a teen’s fingers because he was apparently ‘working on their turf’ is appalling.
“As I understand it this gang took the view the teenager should have been paying them a percentage or fee out of any profits made from burglaries he was allegedly involved in. This whole incident highlights the need for more garda resources and in particular more resources working on targeting gangs operating in Dublin.
“It’s clear the gangs operating in communities like Clondalkin and Lucan feel they rule the streets and can act with impunity. Just last weekend we saw a six year old boy shot in a botched gangland-style hit in Ballyfermot. Gardaí need to reassert control over these communities.
“These attacks are happening in busy, densely populated, well-established residential communities. This criminal activity causes enormous anxiety to local residents, particularly older people living alone and families with young children.
“We need leadership from the Government and recognition that what is happening here requires immediate contact between the Minister for Justice and the Garda Commissioner to plan an appropriate response.”
