Irish girls attacked in Bundaberg over a cigarette

October 13 2008

THREE Irish backpackers have become the latest victims of an unprovoked, vicious assault while travelling in Australia.

The three girls from Westmeath, Galway and Dublin were attacked and badly beaten outside a take-away in the east coast town of Bundaberg.

They were knocked to the ground, punched and kicked by three aboriginal girls in a row "over a cigarette".

Police who viewed CCTV footage of the assault outside Hungry Tum 24-hour eatery said they could clearly see the assailants punching and kicking the victims on the ground.

A spokesperson for Queensland police said the incident was a totally unprovoked attack.

"Three female backpackers were accosted outside a 24-hour eatery by three 17-year-old aboriginal girls," he said...

Meanwhile, the three Irish victims and a Swedish friend have asked not to be identified, but one has described the terrifying experience.

"It was all just over a cigarette," the female victim, from Galway said.

"It all happened in a split second. It was fairly frightening and we're pretty shaken up."

She explained: "I was pushed to the ground and they started kicking me in the head. I went to hospital and had x-rays done, just in case, because of the blows to the head, but everything is OK, thankfully...

The security footage showed how the three girls beat the backpackers after one of the tourists refused to give them cigarettes outside the store.

During sentencing, magistrate Neil Lavaring said: "There has been a number of assaults and it has been in the public limelight.

"There has been considerable injuries, deaths and all sorts of things."

Yes, all sorts of things. Here's another victim of "have you got a cigarette?": Eddie Spowart.