Garda appeal as Navan assault victim fights for life

A 63-Year-old man is fighting for his life in Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital in Drogheda this week following what is believed to have been an assault in the Academy Street area of Navan in the early hours of Monday morning. The man, who was found unconscious with a serious head wound, has been named locally as Martin O'Gorman, a bachelor from Athlone, who was a Meath GAA supporter. He was found by a taxi driver on Academy Street at about 12.30am on Monday morning. It is believed he sustained head injuries after being assaulted by a group of up to four people. He was rushed by ambulance to Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital, where he remains on life support. Mr O'Gorman was found unconcious between the rear of the Maxol service station and the Circular Road junction. Gardai closed off the road following the discovery and sealed off the scene, which was forensically examined on Monday morning. According to Gardai, there is no known motive for the assault as the victim's wallet, cash and mobile phone were still on him when he was found. Gardai say they have no information about the assault but the head injury the victim received was not consistent with a fall. A group of four people was seen in the area at the time the injured man was found, but they hurried from the scene. Supt Michael Devine of Navan Garda Station has made an appeal to anyone who saw anything suspicious the the early hours on Monday morning to come forward. He said: "We are interested in speaking to three or four people, at least two of whom were women, who were seen in or about Academy Street between midnight and 1am." Gardaí believe the injured man drove from his home in Athlone to Navan in a grey VW Passat car which he parked at the Fair Green and attended the Meath v Laois GAA match in Tullamore, before socialising in the town. Gardai have been carrying out house-to-house enquiries in the area and have also been examining CCTV footage. Gardaí have appealed to anyone who saw anything in the area between 12 midnight and 1am to get in contact with Navan Garda station. They are also looking for any information from anyone who may have met the man in Navan earlier that evening or anyone he was due to meet up with to contact them on (046) 907 9930. The victim is described as being 5' 9" in height, with brown receding hair and is 13 stone weight. He was wearing blue jeans, a white collared t-shirt and a round-neck purple jumper.