A teenager was hospitalised after he was assaulted by multiple attackers in Meath earlier this week - and the attack was filmed and posted on social media.
Footage of the brutal beating, which has been circulated widely, took place shortly after 2:30pm in Navan on Monday.
The Irish Mirror has seen the shocking footage, however gardai have urged people not to share the video of the attack “out of respect for the victim”.
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Following the attack, the youngster attended Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital in Drogheda where he received treatment for serious facial injuries.
Fine Gael Seanad Spokesperson on Children Senator Mary Seery-Kearney described the attack as a “sickening display of violence and humiliation”.
She said: “This child and I assume he is a child, is being filmed as a group of pupils from a school pile on him, kicking him, punching him, pulling his hair, and taunting him.
“It is a sickening display of violence and humiliation and I can’t remember the last time I have seen anything so distressing
She added: “That this attack was filmed and posted on social media channels adds to the suffering of this child.
“The perpetrators of these criminal acts, and that is what they are, must be dealt with and a clear message needs to be sent from the Board of Management at the school, the Gardaí, and parents, that these shameful, cowardly and utterly disgusting acts will not be tolerated and will be punished.
“As legislators, the onus is also on us to ensure that our children are protected from all types of abuse, and we have seen the ugly side of social media with this – this needs to be stamped out urgently or our society will be in freefall for future generations.”
In the clip, the victim is seen walking through a green area in a housing estate before another person is spotted punching the youngster.
Another person in the video then proceeds to strike the teen - who is understood to be a secondary school pupil - in the head from behind. More attackers then charge at the victim as he tried to walk away to continue the beating.
The teen falls to the ground but the vicious thugs continue to punch and strike him repeatedly.
A person in the background can be heard shouting “Come on, lads.”
At one point, the victim tries to stand up but once again is punched in the head from behind before the seemingly unprovoked beating comes to an end after others managed to push the attackers away.
Most of the people in the video appear to be wearing a school uniform.
In a statement, Gardai said they are “investigating an assault which occurred in the Navan area of Co. Meath on Monday, 15th May 2023 at approximately 2.30pm.
“A male juvenile, later attended Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital in Drogheda where he received treatment for serious facial injuries.”
They also urged people not to share the video of the attack “out of respect for the victim”.
The statement continued: “An Garda Síochána is appealing to any person with information on the assault to contact Navan Garda Station at 046 9079930.”
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