Irishman forced to eat his own ear now fears for his life

An Irishman who was assaulted with a hammer, knife and iron bars and forced to eat part of his own ear now fears for his life.

Brendan Higginbotham, from Co. Kildare, was subjected to a horrific assault on Valentine’s Day.
Paramedics were shocked that the victim refused to lodge a police complaint after a gang cut off his ear and then forced him to eat it.

Now police in Newbridge are attempting to trace the whereabouts of Higginbotham in order to find out more information about the attack.

The assault took place at 12:40 a.m. on Monday after a gang dragged the victim down a lane in Newbridge, Co. Kildare.

On his Facebook page the 21-year-old victim described his injuries and said he had been in hospital after he got his ears cut off and was knee-capped. He also received 30 stitches in his head and face.

"I'm in bits, very sore, have to say I'm scared for my f***ing poxy life, heads wrecked over this crap," he wrote.

Police in Kildare were alerted to the incident after paramedics were called to an apartment in the town to treat the victim.

Higginbotham was then taken by ambulance to Naas Hospital and then later transferred to St. James in Dublin due to the extent of his injuries.

On Tuesday he discharged himself from the hospital, and police have been unable to locate him since.