Dubliner Dean MacSiomoin was assaulted in Perth on St Patrick's Day

An Irishman who had part of his left ear bitten off in a brutal St Patrick’s Day assault will undergo a third surgery next month.

Dean MacSiomoin, a 34-year-old electrician from Ard Na Gréine in Dublin, was attacked by three men outside the Subiaco Hotel in the Perth suburb of Subiaco late on St Patrick’s night, March 17.

He was bidding farewell to two female friends, when his attackers – who had been asked to leave the Subiaco Hotel – rushed towards him. One of the attackers bit and tore off a portion of Mr MacSiomoin’s left ear.

The Dubliner was taken to Sir Charles Gardner Hospital where he underwent two surgeries, the first to remove skin and excess cartilage and a second to stitch the front and back of his ear back together.

He has worked as an electrician in Perth for the last five years but has never witnessed such violence in the city. Mr MacSiomoin hopes to return to work this week and is on antibiotics to prevent infection.

He said the assault was completely random.

“The three guys got put out of the Subiaco hotel and they started smashing the windows,” Mr MacSiomoin told the Irish Echo.

“All of a sudden they came running and just knocked me to the ground. I got a few punches into the head and as I was trying to stand back up off the ground one of them leaned down and took the top of my ear off. They went running then.”

He remembers little but the excruciating pain.

“It was all so quick. I don’t remember the guys running at me or knocking me to the ground. I just remember the pain of being bitten,” he said.

“Why would one of them be so bad as to come down and take a bite from you?”

The assailants were caught on CCTV

A spokesperson for WA Police said arrests have yet to be made and the matter is still being investigated. Police have issued CCTV stills of the three offenders and are seeking help from Subiaco locals.

The first offender is described as being 40 to 45 years of age, 170 cm tall, fair complexion, and of stocky to large build with short-curly-dark-hair.

He was wearing a khaki green short-sleeved shirt and long pants. The second offender is described as 20 to 25 years of age, around 160cm tall, and of fair complexion with dark hair. He was wearing a Celtic jersey and dark pants.

The third is described as being 20 to 25 years of age, 165cm tall, and of fair complexion with short-dark hair. He was wearing a dark-coloured shirt with white vertical stripes down the arms and dark pants.

Anyone with information that may assist police with their inquiries or can identify the people in the photographs are asked to call Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.

Correction: An earlier version of this story reported that the assault happened outside the Irish Club of WA. This was incorrect. The Irish Echo apologises for the error.

Dubliner Paul Cradden (pictured centre) has invited Gerry Conlon (right) of the Guildford Four and Paddy Hill of the Birmingham Six to visit his Australia this month.

Paddy Hill, of the Birmingham Six, and Gerry Conlon, of the Guildford Four, are visiting Adelaide, Sydney and Brisbane in the coming week.

Mr Hill and Mr Conlon, who were wrongly convicted over IRA pub bombings in Britain in the 1970s, will be speaking at the Adelaide Irish Club on Thursday, June 17, the Gaelic Club in Sydney on Saturday June 19, and the Irish Club in Brisbane on Wednesday, June 23.

In Adelaide, the pair will speak about the case of construction worker Ark Tribe, who is facing charges of refusing to cooperate with the Australian Building Construction Commission (ABCC) in 2008.

Mr Tribe, who contacted his union over a safety breach, faces six months in jail for refusing to be questioned by the ABCC under laws brought in under the previous Coalition government, but which have not been rescinded by the current Labor government.

The entry fee will go to the Miscarriages of Justice Organisation (MOJO).
Dubliner Paul Cradden, who works with Mr Tribe’s union, the Construction Forestry Mining and Energy Union (CFMEU), organised to bring Mr Hill and Mr Conlon to Adelaide.

“Paddy and Gerry heard about this case and feel very strongly about it,” he said. “They know what it’s like to be jailed in a miscarriage of justice and they want to tell Australians about Ark’s case, which is also a politically motivated trial. Even the police don’t have the powers the ABCC have.

“The CFMEU greatly appreciates that Paddy and Gerry are travelling to the other side of the world to promote this case.”

The Sydney event is being coordinated by the Maritime Union of Australia (MUA). The entry fee there will also go to support MOJO.

Stuart Holt of the MUA says the union is proud to support the wrongly convicted men.

“After their release, Paddy and Gerry have fought against miscarriages of justice in all their forms, including providing support for victims after their release – support these men did not receive.”

Money raised at the Brisbane event, which is being coordinated by the CFMEU, will also support MOJO. Through MOJO, Mr Hill and Mr Conlon are leading a growing movement against miscarriages of justice internationally.

While in Adelaide they will also attend Mr Tribe’s court case.

by Pádraig Collins