A 24-YEAR-OLD FARMER has been assaulted after attempting to purchase a jeep.

The man, who sits on the national executive of the Irish Cattle and Sheep Farmers’ Association (ICSA), was responding to an advertisement for a jeep for sale on sales website Done Deal.

Upon arriving at the cul-de-sac where he was due to collect the vehicle, the man was attacked by three men – one of whom was holding a gun and another one hammer.

The incident happened in the Wicklow area.

Attack 

Speaking to TheJournal.ie, the young farmer – who did not wish to be identified by name – explained how he had thought that he was on his way to get a bargain when the attack happened.

I was talking over the phone and it seemed like he was a normal person. He was bargaining with me, like I would say one price and he’d say, ‘oh no, I couldn’t do that’ and that sort of thing… the jeep was for my girlfriend’s mother.

During the incident the farmer had a gun pointed at him and was struck in the face numerous times with a hammer.

“I had two of them I was fighting and my girlfriend was sort of battling with one of them. He then sort of came around to the other side of the jeep to help the other two fellas. By the time he was making his way around, my girlfriend was on the phone to the Gardaí and they realised what was happening,” he said.

The attackers did not manage to take any money from the man during the incident.

Damage

Following the incident the young farmer was brought to Beumont Hospital where it was found he had a broken eye socket and cheek bone. He is unable to work until the new year.

Speaking about the incident, ICSA Leinster vice-president, Joe O’Toole, said, “Obviously these are matters for the Gardaí, but ICSA is urging people to take every precaution in such situations. We would advise that people only arrange to view or pay for goods in a safe, public location and never go alone. If you have any suspicions, report them to Gardaí.”

Speaking to TheJournal.ie, a representative for the ICSA said that it was not believed the man was targeted due to his membership of the group, and that it was part of what could be a wider spate of incidents around the country being looked at by Gardaí.

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