A German couple were viciously assaulted by a gang of teenagers on St Patrick's Day after the tourists told them they didn't have a cigarette lighter.

The pair Christian (30) and Alina (24), suffered a hail of punches and kicks as they were attacked by about ten youths near Dublin's Liffey Street with Christian being beaten unconscious.

The assault is the second attack on foreign nationals to have emerged from the St Patrick's festivities, with a video of a Brazilian man who was kicked in the head in he capital, going viral online.

Two youths arrested in connection with that separate incident have been released without charge with files sent to the DPP.

Terrified couple Christian and Alina, who wanted to be identified by their first names, were in Dublin to visit Christian's brother Christoph who works in the capital.

He explained that they had been at the parade as part of a larger group and that the couple, who were a short distance behind the group, had been walking near the Grand Social Pub at about 8pm when the brutal assaults took place.

According to Christoph three teenagers approached the couple looking for a light and when Alina said no “the group hit her in the face”.

He said seven more youths then began joining in, kicking and punching the pair.

Christoph said: “I saw what was going on with the three and ran back to try and stop them but then more appeared and started to attack us.”

He said that Christian sustained a number of kicks to the head adding: “My brother was hit and kicked until he was unconscious and eventhen the attackers carried on.”

He said the assault only stopped when the gang ran off as gardai approached.

Christian and Alina were both taken to hospital and Christoph said that although his brother was beaten unconscious “there was no lasting damage”.

Online Editors