The mother of a young boy who was brutally assaulted by a gang of youths in Dublin’s Bushy Park last week says “something has changed inside of him” since the attack.

The 13-year-old, whose family have asked to remain anonymous, was attacked in broad daylight last Thursday while out in the park with a friend.

He was kicked and battered in the head and body during the brutal 20-minute assault – with the gang stopping twice for a break before continuing the attack.

The young boy in ICU after the brutal assault in Bushy Park in Dublin.

On Lunchtime Live this afternoon, his mother said he was barely recognisable after the ambulance delivered him to Crumlin Children’s Hospital.

“When I saw him - not just me, even the doctors - we all feared the worst for him,” she said.

“He was in such a bad state – it was horrible.

“You could not recognise him. His head looked like a balloon; so swollen, like, really huge.

“His face was completely deformed, blood everywhere. He had blood coming from his ears and his ears had become like cauliflowers from the kicks. He had blood coming from his head as well.”

“It was a total moment of terror and panic.”

Ordeal

She said the boy told her he spent the ordeal trying to defend his head, because he knows, 'it is the most important part’.

“Even to hear that, it is so heartbreaking because a child is not supposed to go through this,” she said.

“He is not supposed to have to defend himself.

“He said, when the attack started, they tried to smash his head on the concrete.”

Assault

The mother said the ringleader of the gang began the attack by punching her son on the side of the head, without warning.

When the gang took its first break during the assault, they mockingly shouted, ‘OK, OK let’s see if he can run now”.

The boy used the second break to try and crawl away from the concrete path and told her he was thinking, “I need to go to the grass because there, it’s going to be harder for them to crack open my skull”.

"He is terrified"

After spending a day in intensive care following the attack, the boy is now back home recovering.

His mother said he is “very, very traumatised” by the experience.

“He doesn’t want to go out,” she said.

“My son is Irish. He was born here; his father is Irish. I am Brazilian and it is the first time ever my son asked me, ‘Can we move to Brazil?’

“He never asked that before and it really, really worries me because I can see something has changed inside of him.

“It is not just about the physical scars. I am worried much more about his mental state now.

“He is terrified. I am terrified as well.

“I think it is despicable that we have to live in fear in a place I have lived for such a long time and I call home.”

Investigation

She said someone filmed the attack and the footage has been posted online.

It is also in the hands of Gardaí, who are now investigating.

The mother said she is now worried that the attackers will get away with the attack or will get a light punishment – and she is calling for increased sentences for this type of crime.

“This is not just about my son,” she said. “Tomorrow, it is going to be somebody else’s son.