Man (23) is arrested over attack on cleaner

A 23-year-old man has been released after being arrested in connection with a violent attack on a street-cleaner in Wexford on New Year's Eve. A file is being sent to the DPP.

Gardaí have denied witnessing the incident and failing to intervene to stop the assault on Mr Larry Flood (54), who was attacked and almost killed on the afternoon of December 31st.

Mr Flood, a street-cleaner employed by Wexford Corporation, was attacked by two young men after he asked them to step aside to make way for his dust cart.

His cheek bone was broken in three places and he suffered two fractures to his nose following several blows to the head as he lay on the ground. The incident occurred at about 4 p.m.

He underwent over three hours of surgery at St James's Hospital, Dublin, where surgeons said he was lucky to have survived.

Mr Flood said he had spoken to Defence Forces personnel just minutes before the attack and he also said that gardaí were nearby, though none intervened.

"Surely to God someone must have seen something because the street was absolutely packed," he said yesterday.

A Garda spokeswoman said, however, that the incident was not made known to them until January 1st.

"We did not witness the assault," she said.

An Army spokesman said any soldier on duty in the vicinity of the assault would not have been permitted to leave their post to intervene. The soldiers in question were escorting a money van at a nearby bank at the time of the assault.

"A soldier is specifically tasked to secure the money in the bank escort and they are not allowed to deviate from that. It is their sole task," the spokesman said.

The incident comes as gardaí continue investigations into three violent deaths and a number of violent assaults outside Dublin, just 10 days into the new year.

Only 10 minutes into 2003, the alarm was raised following a fatal shooting in Co Clare. Mr Sean Poland (39) was shot dead after he opened the front door of his home in Blackwater, Ardnacrusha, to a group of men. Gardaí in Limerick believe the motive for the shooting was robbery. They say they are happy with their progress into the incident so far.

Also on January 1st, Mr Gary Doyle (28) was stabbed in the early hours of the morning within 200 yards of his home, at Ballybeg, Co Waterford. The single father of one became involved in an altercation at about 3 a.m. and suffered a stab wound to his neck. He died at Waterford Regional Hospital, having lost a large amount of blood.

One man was arrested on the day of Mr Doyle's death and a file is being prepared for the DPP.

In Cork, on January 3rd, Ms Jean Scanlon (33) was found dead at the bottom of the stairs of her home at Roches Buildings on Richmond Hill in the city. She was originally from Dublin. The alarm was raised at 12.20 a.m.

A man was arrested in connection with her death two days later and charged at Cork District Court.

Also in Cork, gardaí at Angelsea Street are seeking witnesses to a stabbing on January 4th. The incident happened at 7.15 p.m. at Parnell Place. The victim, a young man, was taken to South Infirmary Hospital where his injuries were described as "not life-threatening".