Man (20s) charged and eight arrested as gardaí investigate three Arklow assaults

Irish Independent

11-07-2025

The latest incident took place at about 4.20pm on Abbey Street in the town centre, where there remained a strong Garda presence throughout Thursday night.
Several roads were closed and at least one area underwent a technical examination, with a man in his 30s taken to St Vincent's Hospital in Dublin with injuries believed to be non-life threatening.
Gardaí have confirmed that five men were arrested in connection with the incident, pursuant to Section 4 of the Criminal Justice Act and that these men were detained at garda stations in Wexford and Wicklow.
One of the five men has now been charged and is due to appear before Bray District Court on Friday afternoon. The four other men (20s, 30s, 40s) remain detained.
CCTV footage of the incident circulating online shows two men running from Abbey Street down Back Street, before a silver car follows at speed and veers onto the footpath in the direction of the men, with the loud sound of the impact startling on-looking residents.
A silver car with a damaged front bumper is then seen in images of a Garda cordon on Back Street that were taken the same evening.
Thurday's incident comes after two other similar assaults within the last fortnight.
Gardaí report that this morning several premises were searched under warrant in the Wexford/Wicklow division in connection with these incidents and a quantity of suspected crack cocaine was seized by gardaí. The seized drugs will be forwarded to Forensic Science Ireland for analysis.
Asked about the spate of violent incidents, long-serving Arklow councillor Pat Fitzgerald said his phone had been ringing off the hook all evening on Thursday, with residents in the vicinity of the incident expressing their disgust and disbelief at the level of violence.
'This hasn't been a good time for Arklow and there have been too many incidents like this,' he said.
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'A lot of people have been on to me about it, and they're afraid. That one yesterday was shocking to be quite honest about it.
'They can't believe that something like that could happen, especially in an area where many elderly residents are living.
'They're shocked that it happened, but not in another way, as this seems to be happening with more regularity in that area.
'It's dreadful, and something needs to be done about this, so that people can live in a safe environment. It's not a good look for Arklow.'
On Monday, July 7 a man in his 40s was hospitalised, having sustained serious injuries in an assault that afternoon in Arklow. It is believed this assault included the use of a stabbing weapon.
Gardaí responded to the assault incident at approximately 4.20pm on Monday at an unspecified location, where the injured man was rushed to St Vincent's Hospital 'for treatment of serious injuries'.
Two men (20s, 40s) have been arrested as part of this investigation and are currently detained at Garda stations in County Wicklow.
Asked for additional details, a Garda spokesperson confirmed that a technical examination has since been conducted by the Divisional Scenes of Crime Unit.
In the early hours of Saturday, June 28, another assault believed to include the use of a stabbing weapon took place at a Ferrybank address. This led to a man in his 50s being taken to St Vincent's Hospital in Dublin.
Two people were arrested as part of this investigation and one male (30s) appeared before Bray District Court on Monday, June 30.
It is not known if any of these assaults are connected. Investigations are ongoing.