It emerged earlier this week that a 14-year-old boy with autism was force-fed twigs and was made expose himself for the gang, who later uploaded a video of the incident online.

Yesterday the boy’s father broke his silence and said he hoped that the group responsible would be dealt with “severely” for what they had done to his son.

Liam Davin said it felt like “being hit by a hammer” when a young girl called to his home to let him know of the attack on his son, and that he and the boy’s mother are “devastated” by what had taken place.

@OpinionLine96 Hope that Liam and his family know that absolutely everybody here in Carrigaline is behind his family 100%. #ol96 — MagsM (@margaretb2010) April 2, 2015

Mr Davin said he had to make the “heartbreaking” decision to take away his son’s freedom in the aftermath of the attack.

He said he had reported the incident to gardaí on Tuesday, after news of the incident broke on a radio programme.

Mr Davin said the attack was all the worse because his son’s tormentors filmed the incident.

He does not know his son’s attackers, but has reported one name linked with the abuse to the authorities.

Earlier this week, local councillor and shopkeeper John A Collins had told the Irish Examiner of how the victim would often come to his store to buy football cards.

Now Mr Collins has revealed his store has been inundated with messages of goodwill and gifts, including Match Attack cards, for the boy.

Absolutely heartbreaking listening to Liam on @OpinionLine96 but fair play to @pjcoogan on his handling of it #ol96 — MagsM (@margaretb2010) April 2, 2015

Meanwhile, Children’s Minister Dr James Reilly said the graphic case left him “appalled as a minister and upset as a parent”.

Mr Reilly made the comments at the opening of the Snowflakes autism support centre for children, in Swords, Dublin, on world autism day yesterday.

The Fine Gael TD, whose adult son has autism, said he could not “let the opportunity pass” without commenting on what happened, telling those present the incident was shocking for the entire population.

“I can’t, as Minister for Children and Youth Affairs and as a parent of a child with autism, a young man now, let the opportunity pass without remarking upon an appalling incident that was reported in the papers in Cork recently.

“I just want to say I can’t say much about that because it’s a matter for the gardaí, but I will say this: such behaviour is unacceptable, it’s utterly disrespectful. When we diminish others we do more to diminish ourselves, and that’s a message I would like to send out to those who would consider this behaviour,” he said.

“I’m appalled by it as a minister, I was upset by it as a parent and I know it’s upset many parents in this country, both of children with challenges and children with none.”

READ MORE: Father ‘heartbroken’ over attack on autistic son

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