Gardai are on the hunt for a teenage sadistic attacker who allegedly bit the ear of a young lad found covered in blood in a quiet Dublin suburb.
The victim, understood to be in his late teens also, was discovered by officers in the early hours of Saturday morning at Rathsallagh Park in Shankill.
He suffered significant injuries to his head and face in the gory attack and was taken to St. Vincent's Hospital.
Dublin Live understands the teen victim has had surgery on his nose and ear following the thuggish assault.
A source told Dublin Live that the bloody scene was closed off overnight after the horror assault as Gardai searched frantically for the young culprit.
The source said: "It is alleged that during the incident, the young attacker bit the ear of the boy before fleeing the scene.
"The victim needed surgery on his nose and ear after the bloody attack."
And Gardai are still urging for witnesses to come forward as a manhunt for the culprit remains in place.
A spokesman told Dublin Live: "Gardaí received reports of an assault incident that occurred in the Rathsallagh Park area of Shankill at approximately 3:10am on Saturday, February 6.
"A man, aged in his late teens, was discovered in the area with non-life threatening head/facial injuries.
"The teen was taken by ambulance to St. Vincent's Hospital."
He added: "No further information is available and enquiries are continuing."
