A teenage schoolboy is recovering in hospital after he was attacked by three masked men in a garage forecourt in Co Clare today.

The incident happened at around 5pm at a filling station on the Kilrush road in Ennis.

It’s understood the 15-year-old was travelling in a car with his mother when they stopped at the garage for petrol. While the teenager was filling the car, three men wearing balaclavas approached and attacked the boy.

The car’s back window was smashed while the front windshield was also damaged. The boy is understood to have been struck at least once with what is believed to have been a slash hook. It’s understood his mother was unharmed.

Gardaí arrived at the scene within minutes while an ambulance was also called once it was clear that someone had been injured. The teenager was removed by ambulance to University Hospital Limerick with injuries which are not believed to be life-threatening.

One passerby said: “It was very tense for a while. They chased the young lad around the forecourt for a while too. An ambulance came and the boy was taken to hospital. There were a lot of guards and they got here real quick.”

The damaged car was also removed from the scene for a technical examination.

Gardaí from Ennis are investigating the incident and are expected to view CCTV footage which could provide evidence of the incident and how it unfolded.

Investigating officers are also understood to be following a definite line of inquiry however no arrests had been made last night.

Gardaí have asked anyone who was in the area of Ashline/Kilrush Road around the time of the incident to contact them at Ennis station on 065 6848100.

Online Editors