By Conor Sharkey
A Strabane man injured in a weekend stabbing incident this week spoke of the terrifying attack that could easily have cost him his life.
Jonathan Patterson was walking along Strabane's Water Wall to the rear of Supervalu on Saturday night when he was approached by a man who asked for a cigarette.
An altercation broke out between the two men before the man struck Mr Patterson with a weapon, believed to be a broken bottle. The laceration, which needed five stitches, missed the young man's lung by millimetres.
Taking up the story, Mr Patterson told the Strabane Chronicle: "I had been in the pub and was headed home when a man came up and asked me for a cigarette.
"After I gave him a cigarette, he asked me for money. I told him no, when he reached for me. We struggled for a couple of minutes before I felt what I thought was a punch to my chest. The guy ran off before I realised that I was bleeding quite badly. I managed to make my way back to the pub where my friends phoned me a ambulance," he said.
Following treatment at Altnagelvin Hospital, Mr Patterson was informed that the weapon used had missed his lung by just three millimetres.
"I was quite badly shook up by what happened and I don't think I'll be walking home after the pub again. It'll be taxis from now on," he said.
Strabane Councillor Ivan Barr lives just yards from where the assault took place.
Condemning the attack, he said: "Listening to the news over the weekend, we were led to believe a knife was used in this attack however it is of no consequence to the victim that it was actually a broken bottle.
"At the end of the day, the risk was no less and the injury was no less severe.
"I hope that whoever was responsible will be apprehended and brought before the courts. Unfortunately however, this latest attack will have struck concern among local residents and particularly elderly residents," he said.
Urging people to think twice about using the Water Wall as an access route after dark, councillor Barr added: "I would say to anyone using the Water Wall to be cautious. There has been a spate of incidents over the past couple of years in that area, most notably the robbery of a lady visitor to the town some time back.
"Whilst not wishing to stir fear among people, I would ask people to consider using the Main Street for access as opposed to the Water Wall after dark or at the evening," he said.
A police spokesperson described the attacker as being "in his 30's, approximately 5'9" tall and of a medium build.
He is believed to have dark cropped hair and possibly a scar on the left side of his face. He was wearing a dark top with a white logo on the front."
After the attack it is understood the man made off along the Waterwall in the direction of Lifford.
Anyone who was in the area and witnessed the incident or could help identify the man involved is asked to contact Strabane CID office on 0845 600 8000 or the 'Crimestoppers' charity on 0800 555 111.
