Teen attacked on Greenway

Anton McNulty

A WESTPORT councillor says thugs will not damage the reputation of Westport after a teenager was attacked on the Greenway over the weekend.
The incident took place at approximately 8pm on Saturday evening when the 19-year-old man was assaulted by a group of males while on the Greenway near the Quay in Westport. The victim was badly beaten in the attack and a sum of money was also taken.
Independent councillor Christy Hyland condemned the attack and said this sort of behaviour will not be tolerated in Westport.
“This sort of thuggery cannot be tolerated and we cannot allow this type of behaviour to ruin the reputation of the Greenway. People should not be afraid to walk along the Greenway which is a brilliant amenity for the town,” he said.
Cllr Hyland said he had contacted council engineers regarding installing increased lighting along the Greenway in Westport to ensure people feel safe while walking during the winter nights.
Speaking at a meeting of Mayo County Council yesterday, Cllr Hyland also noted that the CCTV camera at the playground along the Greenway is not working and said this is not acceptable.
“When I asked about the CCTV system a couple of months ago I was told there was no money to repair it. We are talking about people’s safety and I want funding set aside for the CCTV systems in this county,” added Cllr Hyland.
The attack on the teenager on the Greenway follows another assault on a young person in Westport which was filmed on a mobile phone and shown on social media platforms. It occurred recently in a laneway off Bridge Street and the victim was shown getting kicked and punched while on the ground. Gardaí investigating the Greenway attack say they are following a definite line of enquiry and investigations are ongoing. Anyone with any information is asked to contact Westport gardaí on 098 50230.