Man admits injuring asylum seeker in car 'prank' on beach
GARDAI have identified the ringleader behind a disturbing incident during which an asylum seeker was dragged with a rope along a popular beach by four men in a car.
Garda officers said that they had questioned a man about the incident which left 39-year-old Pakistan national Rashid Khan in hospital.
Mr Khan, a resident of the Mosney asylum complex, was with friends at the beach in Bettystown, Co Meath, when they lost track of time and returned to their car to find it partially submerged by the incoming tide.
He got a local man to come to his assistance with a tractor and then waded out to the car with a rope in an effort to get it towed ashore.
However, he came back to the shore after making an unsuccessful attempt to attach the rope to the car.
A group of men at the scene grabbed hold of the rope, which was wrapped around Mr Khan's waist and drove off in their car, dragging him behind them for a distance before letting him go.
Gardai said last night that they were satisfied the incident, which happened on July 2, was not racially motivated and was an opportunistic prank gone wrong.
They said a man had since come forward identifying himself as the ringleader behind the prank. The man was not arrested, but he has since made a statement to garda officers.
Gardai said Mr Khan was attended to at the scene by medical personnel before being taken to Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital, in Drogheda, as a precaution.
He was discharged from the hospital the following day.
Shaken
He was badly shaken, but did not suffer any serious injuries.
Officers said that contrary to some reports, Mr Khan did not suffer a heart attack during or after his ordeal.
A file is now being prepared for the Director of Public Prosecutions.
Mr Khan has yet to make a formal complaint to gardai about the incident.
He could not be reached for comment last night.
A garda spokesman said the investigation was ongoing.
- Shane Phelan Investigative Correspondent
