YOU MAY RECALL reading, last month, the story of what happened to Paul Deaton, during a visit to his local park in north Dublin.
The 31-year-old, who has intellectual disabilities, was left with serious head injuries after being set-upon by a gang of young men.
He had gone to Fairview Park to look at JCBs.
Paul’s sister Linda she said a passer-by brought him to a local pharmacy after the attack as there was “blood everywhere”.
His assailants threatened to rape him, kill him and set him on fire. And witnesses to the incident said members of the gang had recorded the attack on their phones, while laughing.
He left the house without telling anyone, Linda said – adding that he “loves” to watch JCBs.
“That’s his hobby.”
How is he getting on now?
Well, you’ll be pleased to hear he’s doing well.
Paul and his mother Dorothy were invited to the headquarters of ECI JCB yesterday, and spent the day getting a guided tour of the latest models.
His sister, Linda, was on Anton Savage’s Today FM show this morning – and told the host:
He had an amazing day; his confidence is a lot better. He got to drive the diggers, he got a few surprises off them, he got clothes, he got key rings, they did an amazing thing.
Paul had been too traumatised to leave the house after the attack – despite his love for the outdoors, Linda told the show.
However:
“It’s actually after building up his confidence a lot, everything that’s been going on, especially with JCB now, he’s just thrilled with that, we won’t hear the end of it!”
They even gave him a key to a JCB, and he thought he could use it in any JCB whenever he wanted. But I had to explain to him that it’s just a gift for him to have.
The Today FM programme was inundated with offers of trips in JCBs and diggers in the wake of Linda’s first appearance, last month, Savage said.
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