AN IRISH backpacker is “drifting in and out of consciousness” in a Brisbane hospital after being attacked in the early hours of Thursday morning.
Liam Ryan (29), was walking in Queen Street Mall in Brisbane’s city centre at about 3am when a disagreement broke out between him and a group of other people, police said.
One of the men allegedly approached Mr Ryan, who is from Co Laois, and hit him in the face, causing him to fall backwards and strike his head on the ground.
He was taken to the Royal Brisbane Hospital and is in a stable condition in its intensive care unit.
A local teenager, Manaia Freeman Ramea (19), appeared in court yesterday on a charge of assault occasioning bodily harm. The matter has been adjourned until July 8th. Mr Ramea was remanded in custody.
A police spokeswoman said the charge may be upgraded or amended depending on how Mr Ryan’s condition progresses. Det Insp Tony Duncan told a Brisbane newspaper the attack was random.
“There’s no indication there was any reason for the assault, it was just unprovoked or someone looking for a fight,” he said.
Det Insp Duncan said Mr Ryan may have been drinking, but not enough that it was a factor in the investigation.
Mr Ryan had arrived in Australia only three weeks ago to look for work.
The Irish Australian Support Association of Queensland has been visiting Mr Ryan in hospital and keeping in regular contact with his mother in Laois. It is understood he does not have relatives in Australia.
A spokeswoman for the support group told The Irish Timesthat Mr Ryan is in a stable condition. "He is drifting in and out of consciousness," she said.
Mr Ryan had been staying in a backpacker hostel since arriving in Brisbane. An employee at the hostel said Mr Ryan was a quiet person: “He’s a nice, quiet guy. And he is very polite, he’s lovely.”
In March last year an Irish backpacker died following an accident in Brisbane. PJ Kearney (24) fell four metres on to his head after losing his balance on a pub railing.
In September 2009 Shane O’Halloran (24), from Co Cork, fell overboard during a friend’s birthday party cruise on the Brisbane river and drowned.