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Film teen 'left for dead' in sectarian attack | Film teen 'left for dead' in sectarian attack |
(about 1 hour later) | |
A Catholic teenager has said he was left for dead in a sectarian attack as he left a film set in Belfast. | A Catholic teenager has said he was left for dead in a sectarian attack as he left a film set in Belfast. |
James Turley, 18, was working as an extra on 'The Good Man' in the Village area of south Belfast when he was attacked on 6 January. | James Turley, 18, was working as an extra on 'The Good Man' in the Village area of south Belfast when he was attacked on 6 January. |
He told The Irish News that during the assault one of his attackers said: "That's enough. I think he's dead." | He told The Irish News that during the assault one of his attackers said: "That's enough. I think he's dead." |
Police have confirmed that they are investigating a sectarian motive for the attack. | Police have confirmed that they are investigating a sectarian motive for the attack. |
Mr Turley, from the Short Strand area of east Belfast, said he was confronted by a group of people as the production team finished filming a scene at the junction of Frenchpark Street and Ebor Street. | Mr Turley, from the Short Strand area of east Belfast, said he was confronted by a group of people as the production team finished filming a scene at the junction of Frenchpark Street and Ebor Street. |
Four other friends who were with him had also been taking part in the film. | Four other friends who were with him had also been taking part in the film. |
The gang surrounded their car, pulling off a wing mirror and smashing a window. | The gang surrounded their car, pulling off a wing mirror and smashing a window. |
Kill | Kill |
Mr Turley ran from the scene, but was caught. | Mr Turley ran from the scene, but was caught. |
He said that at one stage he tried to hide in a nearby house, calling on the family: "Please help me. They're going to kill me." | He said that at one stage he tried to hide in a nearby house, calling on the family: "Please help me. They're going to kill me." |
However, the gang pursued him into the home. | However, the gang pursued him into the home. |
Mr Turley said: "They all just came in and started beating me." | Mr Turley said: "They all just came in and started beating me." |
"They stamped on my head and everywhere. The woman said: 'Get him out of my garden' and they dragged me out into the alley. | "They stamped on my head and everywhere. The woman said: 'Get him out of my garden' and they dragged me out into the alley. |
"They just started beating me again. They put me in a bin and were pushing me somewhere. I didn't know where I was going, when I got put in the bin I thought that was it." | "They just started beating me again. They put me in a bin and were pushing me somewhere. I didn't know where I was going, when I got put in the bin I thought that was it." |
Mr Turley said at one point he was knocked out, but when he started to come round he heard one of his attackers saying: "That's enough. I think he's dead." | Mr Turley said at one point he was knocked out, but when he started to come round he heard one of his attackers saying: "That's enough. I think he's dead." |
Later he managed to flag down a passing motorist who drove him to the Royal Victoria Hospital, less than a mile away. | Later he managed to flag down a passing motorist who drove him to the Royal Victoria Hospital, less than a mile away. |
Crowd | |
His mother Donna, whose husband Frank was murdered in 1998, said she thought her son had been killed. She went to her son's bedside last Friday. | His mother Donna, whose husband Frank was murdered in 1998, said she thought her son had been killed. She went to her son's bedside last Friday. |
She said: "It's like deja vu. I can't remember getting to the hospital. I just kept thinking: 'Please, please, just let him hang on for me'." | She said: "It's like deja vu. I can't remember getting to the hospital. I just kept thinking: 'Please, please, just let him hang on for me'." |
James's friend Sammy said they came under attack from a crowd of about 25 people, mainly teenagers. | |
"As I tried to close the car door, they wouldn't let me, they were holding the door and they were kicking us in through the door," he said. | |
"I had to pull one of my friends into the car on top of me in the passenger seat. | |
"They were kicking and throwing punches through the window. | |
"As I tried to close the car door, one of them slammed it onto my leg, back and forth. | |
"As I got the car door closed they just began to wreck the car, kicking the whole car, as the driver got into the car, they punched my passenger side window in. | |
"I tried to turn my head but the glass came in all over me. They were punching us on the back of the head. | |
"It was hard to believe that what was happening was actually happening. It was a scary experience." | |
'The Good Man' is set in Northern Ireland and South Africa and stars Irish actor Aidan Gillen, who also starred in the hit television series 'The Wire'. | 'The Good Man' is set in Northern Ireland and South Africa and stars Irish actor Aidan Gillen, who also starred in the hit television series 'The Wire'. |