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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Taxi row may have led to attack | Taxi row may have led to attack |
| (30 minutes later) | |
| A man critically injured in a weekend attack in Belfast may have been involved in a row over a taxi. | A man critically injured in a weekend attack in Belfast may have been involved in a row over a taxi. |
| Justin Kirkpatrick, 23, from Ahoghill, suffered serious head injuries after being beaten up near Dunbar Link early on Sunday. | Justin Kirkpatrick, 23, from Ahoghill, suffered serious head injuries after being beaten up near Dunbar Link early on Sunday. |
| He is being treated in Belfast's Royal Victoria Hospital. | He is being treated in Belfast's Royal Victoria Hospital. |
| His grandparents, Margaret and Tommy McDowell, said it was a very difficult time. "He is just fighting for his life at the moment", said his grandmother. | His grandparents, Margaret and Tommy McDowell, said it was a very difficult time. "He is just fighting for his life at the moment", said his grandmother. |
| Justin, whose wife, Melissa, is four months pregnant, was attacked after a night out with friends, before one of them headed off to university in England. | Justin, whose wife, Melissa, is four months pregnant, was attacked after a night out with friends, before one of them headed off to university in England. |
| It is understood that after leaving a nightclub, there was a dispute with another group over who had secured the taxi first. | It is understood that after leaving a nightclub, there was a dispute with another group over who had secured the taxi first. |
| The young man was assaulted as he got into the taxi. | The young man was assaulted as he got into the taxi. |
| His grandparents said they had assumed he would be safe in Belfast. | His grandparents said they had assumed he would be safe in Belfast. |
| Mrs McDowell said: "It was an awful shock. I just burst out crying. I was so annoyed." | Mrs McDowell said: "It was an awful shock. I just burst out crying. I was so annoyed." |
| Mrs McDowell said she was shocked by the attackMr McDowell said: "We thought they were safe, maybe at a house party, thought they would have been safer walking around the streets locally." | |
| The doctors have said that they have done everything they can, now it's just a matter of waiting. | The doctors have said that they have done everything they can, now it's just a matter of waiting. |
| "I didn't realise it was as bad as it was. I didn't know he wouldn't be able to speak to us," said his grandfather. | "I didn't realise it was as bad as it was. I didn't know he wouldn't be able to speak to us," said his grandfather. |
| "He never spoke to anybody since it happened. He is still unconscious." | "He never spoke to anybody since it happened. He is still unconscious." |
| Police are questioning four men in connection with the attack. They have also appealed to witnesses to come forward. | Police are questioning four men in connection with the attack. They have also appealed to witnesses to come forward. |