Five stitches required after unprovoked attack

A POPULAR Strabane man who was left with painful facial injuries during an unprovoked assault in Strabane, had paid tribute to the support he has received from the local community following the incident.

Sean Kavanagh (31) was attacked by two men on Saturday night of last week after he exited a town centre takeaway. He was left with a black eye and had to visit Altnagelvin Hospital the following day where he received four stitches to his lip.

Exposing the attack on social media just hours after it happened, Sean explained that he was set upon for no reason and had been punched extremely hard.

When the Strabane man then asked why he was being attacked, the perpetrators laughed in his face, one of whom starting hitting him from behind.

“I’m 100 per-cent OK now,” Sean said yesterday. “I just felt the punch although I wasn’t knocked out, I was still standing.

“I just tried to breath and stay calm.

“I had done nothing wrong to anyone. I don’t even know them. I was in a rush to go home and eat my food.”

Following his post to social media, a great man people have shown their support for Sean whilst condemning the attackers.

“I’ve had lots of support when I’ve been out and about too,” remarked the local man. “I appreciate it all.”

He added, “I don’t know if the boys that did it are from Strabane or not. I don’t know them at all.

“After it happened, two girls who were there came over to me to ask if I was OK. I asked them if they were with the boys and they said they were. I told them they shouldn’t be hanging around with people who could do something like that.”

Commenting on the attack, Strabane SDLP councillor, Jason Barr said he hopes the perpetrators are brought to justice.

The matter has already been reported to police.

“Disgusting that a man cannot go out in his home town (without having) this happen to him for no reason,” Cllr Barr said.

“Sean is one of the nicest fellas in this town who you could meet.