TUV reports young party member chased and beaten by gang in Kilkeel
At attack on a 18-year-old youth in Kilkeel in which he suffered injuries to his face, head and arms is being investigated as a possible hate crime, police have said.
Police said that on Sunday at 3:20am a number of people were involved in an altercation outside a property in the Manse Road area.
Police spoke with four male youths in the Greencastle Street area of the town – who were believed to have made off from the scene of the assault a short time earlier.
“They were subsequently cautioned by officers for the offence of assault occasioning actual bodily harm. The Youth Diversion Officer has also been informed of the incident – with subsequent enquiries ongoing.
“The victim, an 18-year-old man, required hospital treatment as a result of the altercation – after sustaining facial and head injuries, as well as cuts to his arms."
His phone was also badly damaged.
“Our enquiries are ongoing to establish the full circumstances of what happened and whether this assault was hate motivated."
Police are appealing for information on what happened.
The TUV said the youth was a member of its local branch and was hospitalised following what it said was "a brutal attack".
The party said: "South Down TUV is deeply concerned following a vicious and sustained attack on one of our young branch members on Saturday evening, which left him requiring hospital treatment for concussion, extensive bruising and cuts.
"From the information available to us, the young man was alone and making his way home when he was pursued from Kilkeel town centre before being set upon by a large group in the Manse Road area.”