Trio sought in Oz for Irishman assault
A second sister of the Cork man fighting for his life in a Sydney hospital is now arranging to fly to Australia to be at his bedside.
John Counihan, 23, from Castlecor — between Mallow and Kanturk — is in a critical condition in Saint Vincent’s Hospital in Sydney after he was kicked and punched by a group of men at Bondi Beach last Friday night.
The assault followed a dispute over a game of pool in a nearby pub.
Canon Michael Harrington of Buttevant and Lisgriffin Parish said one of John’s sisters was preparing to join another sister, Trisha, in Sydney.
Trisha had been due to make a televised appeal for help in finding John’s attackers on Wednesday night, Irish time, but was too upset.
John’s girlfriend Pamela Scannell is also keeping a vigil at his bedside.
Canon Harrington said that prayers will be said at all Masses in the parish this weekend for John.
He added: “This is a very sad thing to happen to a young man so far away from home.”
John took a year out from working as a welder at Liscarroll Milk Tanks to travel to Australia.
His boss Jim Brosnan said: “He was due to come back home in October but extended his stay until next April.
“He only extended his stay about six weeks ago.”
Police in Sydney said today that a video of the aftermath of the assault, which has been shown on the internet, cannot be used in their investigation.
A spokeswoman said: “That video was taken after the incident, on a mobile phone. It is only the aftermath and it is not proper footage so it is not evidence at all.”
She said police are examining CCTV footage from local businesses and are interviewing witnesses.
Police are looking for three men, who they believe may be Pacific Islanders.
Article courtesy of the Evening Echo newspaper.
