Irish Man Forced To Eat Ear During Brutal Gang Attack

A homeless Irish man was forced to eat part of his ear after it was cut off as part of a brutal gang attack, the Guardian is reporting.

Sources say it is unclear whether the eat had been cut off or bitten off by one of the gang members, who are reported to have attacked the 21-year-old man in the wee hours of Valentine's Day in Newbridge, Co Kildare.

The Irish Times reports that in addition to losing part of his ear, the man was beaten with a hammer and metal bar after being dragged into a roadway. He sustained severe injuries to his head, jaw and leg. An official is quoted as saying, "Part of this man's ear was cut off and he was actually forced to eat it, that's how serious this is. If it happened in my family I'd want someone to come forward with information."

Though the investigation is ongoing, no arrests have yet been made. According to the Belfast Telegraph, the victim, whose name has not been released, has so far refused to make an official complaint about the incident, and officials say their inquiries have been restricted by his lack of cooperation.