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| Version 2 | Version 3 |
|---|---|
| Men 'wanted to do damage': editor | Men 'wanted to do damage': editor |
| (10 minutes later) | |
| A newspaper editor has said the men who attacked him in Belfast city centre on Wednesday evening wanted to do "severe damage" to his head. | A newspaper editor has said the men who attacked him in Belfast city centre on Wednesday evening wanted to do "severe damage" to his head. |
| The Sunday World's Jim McDowell was attacked by at least two men at the Continental Market at City Hall. | The Sunday World's Jim McDowell was attacked by at least two men at the Continental Market at City Hall. |
| Mr McDowell, 60, said he heard one of them say "your paper's trying to get my brother killed" before he was hit. | Mr McDowell, 60, said he heard one of them say "your paper's trying to get my brother killed" before he was hit. |
| He said he believed he was initially struck with some sort of object then repeatedly kicked when he fell. | He said he believed he was initially struck with some sort of object then repeatedly kicked when he fell. |
| "I was dazed and then the blows came raining in, I went down and then the kicks came in, very, very hard and frequently, it was relentless," Mr McDowell. | "I was dazed and then the blows came raining in, I went down and then the kicks came in, very, very hard and frequently, it was relentless," Mr McDowell. |
| "There's a heel mark on the back of my head where they were actually stamping on my head as well and the boot coming in was absolutely relentless. | "There's a heel mark on the back of my head where they were actually stamping on my head as well and the boot coming in was absolutely relentless. |
| "I tried to get up a couple of times - and I can look after myself - but it was impossible to do it. They wanted to do damage. They wanted to do severe damage to my head." | "I tried to get up a couple of times - and I can look after myself - but it was impossible to do it. They wanted to do damage. They wanted to do severe damage to my head." |
| Mr McDowell, who is editor of the Northern Ireland edition of the Sunday World, was injured in the head, arms and legs, but did not need hospital treatment. | Mr McDowell, who is editor of the Northern Ireland edition of the Sunday World, was injured in the head, arms and legs, but did not need hospital treatment. |
| He said when the assault ended, the attackers did not run from the crowded market, but instead "swaggered away". | He said when the assault ended, the attackers did not run from the crowded market, but instead "swaggered away". |
| It happened at about 1710 GMT in the grounds of City Hall, just metres from the buildings front steps. | It happened at about 1710 GMT in the grounds of City Hall, just metres from the buildings front steps. |
| "Kids screaming, women screaming - I could hear that while these boys were getting laid into me," he said. | "Kids screaming, women screaming - I could hear that while these boys were getting laid into me," he said. |
| "God help any wee kids who were there out for the night with their parents or whatever and saw this happening to a grown man, 60 years of age being beaten to the ground. | "God help any wee kids who were there out for the night with their parents or whatever and saw this happening to a grown man, 60 years of age being beaten to the ground. |
| "If those guys had knives you'd have been carrying a coffin later this week, I'm convinced of that." | "If those guys had knives you'd have been carrying a coffin later this week, I'm convinced of that." |
| Car vandalised | Car vandalised |
| Jim McDowell said the attack was relentless | |
| The attack happened less than two weeks after his car was vandalised outside Craigavon court house. | The attack happened less than two weeks after his car was vandalised outside Craigavon court house. |
| He attended a hearing involving a number of men who were charged in connection with the murder of one of his reporters, Martin O'Hagan | He attended a hearing involving a number of men who were charged in connection with the murder of one of his reporters, Martin O'Hagan |
| Mr O'Hagan was shot dead by loyalist paramilitaries in Lurgan, County Armagh, in September 2001. | Mr O'Hagan was shot dead by loyalist paramilitaries in Lurgan, County Armagh, in September 2001. |
| Mr McDowell has been threatened several times before by loyalists and republicans. | Mr McDowell has been threatened several times before by loyalists and republicans. |
| A police spokesperson, who appealed for information, said one of the attackers was described as being about 5ft 9ins tall, clean shaven with a pale complexion. | A police spokesperson, who appealed for information, said one of the attackers was described as being about 5ft 9ins tall, clean shaven with a pale complexion. |
| He was wearing a black hooded top and a distinctive black striped woolly hat. | He was wearing a black hooded top and a distinctive black striped woolly hat. |
| A second man is described as being of stocky build. He had hair cropped at the sides and was bald on top. He was wearing a red jacket and dark trousers. | A second man is described as being of stocky build. He had hair cropped at the sides and was bald on top. He was wearing a red jacket and dark trousers. |