Suspect held over attack on clamper
Saturday November 21 2009
GARDAI have arrested a man following a vicious hammer attack on a clamper in a city centre carpark.
The 23-year-old was quizzed by gardai at Pearse Street station before being released without charge.
A major garda investigation is continuing following the assault last weekend which left George Pista fighting for his life.
He is still in a critical condition in Beaumont hospital a week after the attack.
The attack happened last Saturday at the small car park on the busy Werburgh Street, which links Christchurch to Kevin Street.
Mr Pista was beaten while attaching a clamp to his assailant's girlfriend's car.
Detectives launched a major investigation following the attack.
Mr Pista, who is in his late 30s, was transferred to Beaumont Hospital, where he remains in the intensive care unit.
Mr Pista works with National Controlled Parking Systems (NCPS) and was attaching a clamp to a woman's car.
Boyfriend
The Herald understands that the woman's boyfriend opened the rear of the vehicle, removed a hammer, and struck Mr Pista once on the head. The man and his partner then fled.
NCPS have declined to comment on the incident, but confirmed that it involved one of its staff.
Gardai have said their investigation is continuing following the arrest. They are asking anyone who was in the vicinity of Werburgh Street on the night of the incident and noticed anything suspicious to contact Pearse Street garda station on (01) 666 9000.
A large number of people passed by the location of the assault, garda believe, as they moved about after the Ireland-France soccer game.
The carpark is not the multi-storey facility behind the Jurys Inn hotel but a pay-and-display parking area, which is situated on the left-hand side of Werburgh Street when travelling from Christchurch.
Meanwhile, in an unrelated incident on the same night, a clamper van was stolen while the driver was attending to an illegally parked car.
hnews@herald.ie
- Andrew Phelan
