THE BROTHER OF a Dublin man attacked outside his home earlier this month says they have been left “devastated” by what’s happened.

Paddy Hansard, who is in his 70s, had been having a drink with his partner in the Clonliffe House before heading home when the attack occurred.

He was assaulted at Courtney Place in Ballybough at around 2am on Saturday morning 17 August.

Gardaí believe he may have been attacked with a shovel but this has not yet been confirmed.

Speaking this morning on RTÉ’s Today with Miriam O’Callaghan, Paul Hansard said Paddy still has bleeds on the brain and there hasn’t been much improvement in his condition.

There hasn’t been really any real change, the situation hasn’t got any better or any worse. There’s been no real improvement. He still has the bleeds on the brain. The bleeding has stopped but the bleeds are still there, so there’s three bleeds. One is quite large. The hospital say it will clear up eventually but hasn’t cleared for now. And so it’s quite kind of difficult for them to assess his injuries.

Paul said the attack on his brother was completely unprovoked and that he’s “never seen my brother in a row in his life”.

I’ve never seen him in a row. I’ve never seen him in a fight. I mean, we’re a large family so families disagree sometimes. And he’d say to my sisters, 11 sisters, and he say, ‘I don’t want to know, I’m with everybody, you’re all my brothers and sisters. I love you I’m not taking sides.’ That’s the way Paddy acted.

Last week, a candlelit vigil was held in Dublin’s north inner city for people to pray and speak about Paddy.

Paul says the support of the community has been invaluable to the family since the attack on Paddy.

“And they had a vigil there last week. And we weren’t aware of the vigil, so the people just took it on themselves, it was beautiful.

And it’s a great community. It’s a real working class community and they support each other. And I think people are as devastated as we are. Because they can’t actually believe that this happened to Paddy.

“The fact that it could happen to Paddy it could happen to anyone. I mean, are people safe of the streets, are people safe in their homes?”

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Paul says that agreed to do the interview to stop “speculation and guesswork” that’s been circulating about the case.

“We’re afraid it could damage the case for the guards.So we ask people not to be speculating about issues. About what happened on the night.

“We want to get the story out that Paddy is an ordinary man. He’s a pensioner. He’s worked all his life. He’s been honest and hardworking. And he deserved to have a good life, he deserved to be able to have a few pints, go home and be safe in his own home.

“The violence that’s happening around us, I mean, it’s credible, shouldn’t be allowed to happen.”

Investigation

Gardaí are continuing their investigations into the attack

A man was arrested in relation to the incident but has since been released and a file has been sent to the DPP.

Investigating gardaí are appealing for witnesses to contact the incident room at Mountjoy Station.

Anyone with information is asked to contact Mountjoy Garda Station on 01-6668601, the Garda Confidential Line 18000 666 111 or any Garda station.