micheailin o'cinnsealach (![[info]](http://l-stat.livejournal.com/img/userinfo.gif){kind=small} fenian32) wrote,@ 2008-07-15 17:03:00 |
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Attacked Catholic ‘in state worse than death’
By Seamus McKinney
Irish News
**Via Newshound
14/07/08
THE family of a Catholic civil servant who is still in a near-coma state two years after suffering horrific head injuries in a sectarian attack say he is “in a state worse than death”.
The Irish News today publishes for the first time a picture which shows the full horror of the head injuries sustained by the young Derry man.
Two years ago this Wednesday, father-of-one Paul McCauley (31) and two friends were attacked by a seven-strong gang while they were clearing up after a barbecue in the city.
While his two friends have recovered, Mr McCauley has remained in an absolute coma for more than a year. He is now in a “low-responsive state”.
His father Jim says this means that while Mr McCauley’s eyes are now open, he is still without the ability to communicate or move.
Doctors also recently delivered the devastating news that the Derry man has been diagnosed as blind as a result of the attack.
“He is really in a state worse than death in many ways,” Mr McCauley snr said.
“The Paul we knew is no longer there.”
So vicious was the attack on Mr McCauley that doctors were able to make out the trace of the boot used to kick him on the head.
Two years on, part of his skull still has not been replaced.
“The attack was so vicious that the skull was crushed and shattered to the stage it couldn’t be replaced,” Mr McCauley snr said.
“There’s approximately five square inches of his skull missing; the only protection between the outside world and his brain is a layer of skin.”
A 15-year-old boy was charged with attempted murder in the days after the attack. He has yet to come to trial.
Mr McCauley snr said the delay in the trial was placing huge pressure on his family as they await the trauma of the court case and of hearing in court for the first time the details of what happened to their son.
“We are coming to terms with the fact that Paul will not recover,” he said.
“Two years down the line with a brain injury, the chances of a recovery are greatly minimised.”
He said the family was also concerned that only one person has been charged with the attack.
Mr McCauley snr said the attack on his son was a crime that other people must have known about because of the large amount of blood he lost.
“There must have been stained clothes so there’s an assumption that there’s people who know about it,” he said.
The severity of Mr McCauley’s injuries mean his family have changed their way of life to spend as much time as possible with him.
*
By Seamus McKinney
Irish News
**Via Newshound
14/07/08
THE family of a Catholic civil servant who is still in a near-coma state two years after suffering horrific head injuries in a sectarian attack say he is “in a state worse than death”.
The Irish News today publishes for the first time a picture which shows the full horror of the head injuries sustained by the young Derry man.
Two years ago this Wednesday, father-of-one Paul McCauley (31) and two friends were attacked by a seven-strong gang while they were clearing up after a barbecue in the city.
While his two friends have recovered, Mr McCauley has remained in an absolute coma for more than a year. He is now in a “low-responsive state”.
His father Jim says this means that while Mr McCauley’s eyes are now open, he is still without the ability to communicate or move.
Doctors also recently delivered the devastating news that the Derry man has been diagnosed as blind as a result of the attack.
“He is really in a state worse than death in many ways,” Mr McCauley snr said.
“The Paul we knew is no longer there.”
So vicious was the attack on Mr McCauley that doctors were able to make out the trace of the boot used to kick him on the head.
Two years on, part of his skull still has not been replaced.
“The attack was so vicious that the skull was crushed and shattered to the stage it couldn’t be replaced,” Mr McCauley snr said.
“There’s approximately five square inches of his skull missing; the only protection between the outside world and his brain is a layer of skin.”
A 15-year-old boy was charged with attempted murder in the days after the attack. He has yet to come to trial.
Mr McCauley snr said the delay in the trial was placing huge pressure on his family as they await the trauma of the court case and of hearing in court for the first time the details of what happened to their son.
“We are coming to terms with the fact that Paul will not recover,” he said.
“Two years down the line with a brain injury, the chances of a recovery are greatly minimised.”
He said the family was also concerned that only one person has been charged with the attack.
Mr McCauley snr said the attack on his son was a crime that other people must have known about because of the large amount of blood he lost.
“There must have been stained clothes so there’s an assumption that there’s people who know about it,” he said.
The severity of Mr McCauley’s injuries mean his family have changed their way of life to spend as much time as possible with him.
*
