WATCH: Limerick gardai appeal for information following hammer attack in suburban estate

GARDAI are renewing their appeal for information following a violent attack during which a middle-aged man sustained serious injuries including a fractured skull.

A reconstruction of the hammer attack which happened at Carrig Drive, Dooradoyle, on February 23, last was broadcast on Monday’s Crimecall programme on RTÉ television.

The 51-year-old victim had just parked his car, a 06 DL-registered blue Suzuki Swift, at around 9pm when he was struck from behind without warning by a group of three males. 

The man, whose wallet and mobile phone were taken by the culprits, was treated at University Hospital Limerick following the incident. He has since been discharged.

“This was a very serious attack where the victim suffered very serious injuries. He is receiving ongoing treatment and he is still feeling the effects of the attack,” said Detective Garda Shane Ryan of Roxboro Road garda station.

“The Saturday night was the night before Limerick took on Dublin in the National Hurling League semi final. It would have been a particularly busy time of night with a lot of foot and vehicular traffic traveling to and from Limerick city centre through this area which is also in close proximity to University Hospital Limerick,” he added.

Considerable resources have been allocated to the investigation and gardai believe the culprits, who wore dark clothing, fled from the scene on foot and are familiar with the area.

One of them is described as being less than 6 foot tall and having black hair.

“The suspects, we think, are familiar with the area. We don’t believe they used a vehicle and they may, indeed, have been from the local area,” said Detective Garda Ryan who told the programme that gardai have received a lot of help from people in the local area.

Making a direct appeal for information this Wednesday, Sergeant Michael Ryan told the Limerick Leader that people should not assume gardai have been contacted by other witnesses.

"We are making a direct appeal today to people in the Carrig Drive / Dooradoyle area and specifically people who work at the hospital who may have been starting their shift or finishing their shift and. If they saw anything suspicious at all we ask them to contact us. I would ask people not to assume that we are aware of information that they may have. They should come to us and tell us the information they have and we will analyse that information and we'll act on it," he said.

Garda at Roxboro Road can be contacted at (061) 214340.