Antrim assault case: Daughter remembers father 'Big Tony' Miskimmon as a 'hulk who was a big softie'

Tony Miskimmon, 74, was allegedly assaulted in Station Road, Antrim, on Saturday, and has now died in hospital.

Known by the nicknames 'Big Tony' or 'Darby', the grandfather was formerly a merchant seaman who later became a tattoo artist in Antrim.

On Monday, a man had been charged with grievous bodily harm over his injuries.

Police announced Mr Miskimmon’s death at lunchtime today.

They added: “All charges, including any additional charges, will be reviewed by the PPS in due course.”

A number of tributes have been paid to him online, and speaking on the Nolan Show today, his daughter Lani Miskimmon described the family’s ordeal.

She said they were shown scans of his brain and that "there's bleeding on every level of his brain... the brain has swollen so much that it's really smooth".

In the interview, conducted at Wednesday lunchtime before he had died, Ms Miskimmon said she had travelled from Perth in Western Australia where she lives to Northern Ireland on Monday.

"We can see it but we're still thinking 'my dad is such a big man, a strong man, that he's going to come out of this'," she said, adding doctors had decided it was “in my dad's best interests" to remove his breathing tubes.

She said he would be given as much morphine as possible "to keep him comfortable and to allow him to pass with as much dignity, and as pain-free, as possible".

She said: "I can't believe that my massive, big beautiful hulk giant of a dad, who makes me feel protected... is going to die.

"Myself and my two children flew out to England this year in May and my father got to see his two grandchildren that he's only met once before all together.

"We had family time - now, with hindsight, thank God. We were all planning to come and visit again because we had such a good time. He was planning to come over next year, to come and stay with us for a little bit.

"My dad had COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease). If I ever thought something was going to happen to my dad it'd be from his lungs. I never, never thought this."

She described him as a "big character" adding: "Because of his size people would look at him and think 'big hard man'. But he was a big softie – he loved his girls. I never went a day not knowing how much I was loved.

"I just want people to know this isn't a little frail old man. This is a big, strong man - a gentle giant. He had so many people that loved him.

"He was the first man I'd ever loved, and his children and grandchildren are missing this amazing person.

"And I want the world to know how much this man means to me and my sister and my family."

A post online from The American Bar in Sailortown, north Belfast, said: "All of us at The American Bar are saddened and angered at the untimely passing of big Tony Miskimmon.

"A regular at the Saturday Afternoon Club, Tony loved listening to music and socialising with friends in his native Sailortown. A big character with colourful tales and warm heart."

Bartender Paddy Godfrey said: "I had the pleasure of speaking with Tony most Saturdays, he was an absolute gentleman and will be sorely missed."

Meanwhile one Becky Sally wrote on Facebook that she was "absolutely heartbroken" by the news, and that Mr Miskimmon had been "such a pleasant gentle big giant, always talking away, done a few of my tattoos and never passed anybody in that town without saying hello".

Meanwhile, in a post before his death, tattooist Stefan Getty who owns Cloak & Dagger Collective said: “The attack on Tony happened just outside my house actually on Station Road, although I did not see it.

"Tony was 74-years-old it has been reported, but he did not look that age at all. I remember when I was hoping to start out as a tattoo artist Tony was very kind to me. And there is a lot of jealousy in the industry which is why it made him unusual.

"He gave me my first bottle of tattoo ink in his shop above the Steeple Inn...

"Tony is a gentleman and was always decent to everyone,” he said (writing prior to his life support machine being switched off).

ON Monday 21-year-old Marcus Fleming, from Cedarmount in Antrim, was charged with GBH as well as criminal damage and one charge of attempted criminal damage to a police cell and vehicle.

He was denied bail at Coleraine Magistrates’ Court.

Today, the PSNI said: “Our enquiries are ongoing to establish the full circumstances surrounding Tony’s death and I would appeal to anyone who was in the area of Station Road, Antrim on Saturday, November 2, between 7pm and 8pm and may have witnessed this incident, or has any other information that would assist with our enquiries to please get in touch.”