A man was stabbed and a piece of his severed ear was left laying on the ground after an attack in Dublin city on Wednesday morning.
Gardaí believe a party was being held in a house in the city centre into the early hours when a fight broke out between a number of people present.
That fight spilled out on the street, in Dublin 8, and one of those involved was both stabbed and lost part of his ear.
While the victim’s injuries are not life threatening, gardaí said he was in a lot of pain and was undergoing medical treatment and had been sedated.
As a result, investigating gardaí had not been in a position to interview him at length. They were hoping he would be well enough, and would be in a position, to aid their inquiries on Thursday.
Initially gardaí were called to the scene because of the stab wounds that had been inflicted on the injured man. It was not until later in the morning that gardaí realised part of the man’s ear was missing and lay on the pavement nearby.
“Gardaí are investigating the discovery of what’s believed to be part of an ear,” the Garda said in reply to queries.
“[It was] found on Whitefriar Street, Dublin 8, at approximately 9.45am on Wednesday. Investigations are ongoing.”
Investigating gardaí from Kevin St station in the south inner city sealed off a house at Whitefriar Gardens as part of the criminal injury into the incident.
Gardaí believe the melee began inside the house and continued into the street. The emergency services were alerted and gardaí, along with paramedics, arrived on the scene just before 10am.
The injured man, who is in his 40s, was stabilised at the scene before being taken by ambulance to St James’s Hospital.
The house and the scene outside were both sealed off and underwent a forensic examination by members of the Garda Technical Bureau.
Gardaí are working on the theory that the injured man was attacked by somebody known to him and that the crime would be solved with his cooperation.
Anyone who was with the injured man on Tuesday night into Wednesday morning or who may have information is asked to contact Kevin St gardaí.
