The thugs who attacked a teenage boy in Navan are being disciplined by their school - as gardai probe if a hate crime occurred.
The young boy, who is just 14 years old, was taken to hospital after the assault in Navan, Co Meath on Monday in an attack which was filmed and widely shared on social media this week.
Now the Irish Mirror has learned that the Garda probe into the assault is focused on whether a potential hate crime was committed.
UPDATE: Gardai make arrests after Navan schoolboy viciously assaulted
READ MORE: Taoiseach condemns attack on Navan teen and 'sick individuals' who filmed incident
Gardai define a hate crime as a criminal offence in which it is “perceived by the victim or any other person to, in whole or in part, be motivated by hostility or prejudice, based on actual or perceived age, disability, race, colour, nationality, ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation or gender”.
However there is no hate crime legislation currently in place as the government is set to have its new law on the issue ratified by the Seanad.
But it is understood that Gardai have logged the incident as a potential hate crime based off the international McPherson test.
The incident is also being investigated as an assault, with the Garda press office saying it is the force is investigating it as such.
Meanwhile it has emerged that Beaufort College in Navan are to issue disciplinary proceedings against students alleged to have been involved in the assault.
In a statement to this paper the Louth and Meath Education and Training Board said: “The patron, LMETB, and school management have made the services of NEPS available to the school.
“Guidance and counselling staff employed by LMETB are providing support and assistance on an ongoing basis.
“An Gárda Síochána are also addressing issues surrounding the incident. School disciplinary policies and procedures are being implemented and it would be inappropriate to comment further at this juncture.
“The Patron has visited the housing estate where the incident occurred.
“For the avoidance of doubt the incident did not occur on school grounds but rather occurred on a green area in an adjacent housing estate.”
The development comes as Taoiseach Leo Varadkar condemned the attack - as he slated the “sick individuals” who film videos of attacks.
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