Stabbed: Tiernan Stokes was hospitalised after the attack on Halloween night
A CONVICTED criminal who was shot in the legs in a public park in Bray in August has been stabbed in another horror attack.
Tiernan Stokes (24) suffered wounds to his legs after he was shot in broad daylight in front of children in the People's Park in Bray, Co Wicklow during the summer. Gardai believe that he fell foul of a Bray-based mob who control large portions of the drugs trade in Co Wicklow.
However, Stokes has now narrowly escaped with his life for a second time after he was knifed four times in a park in the Oldcourt Estate in Bray on Halloween Night.
Writing on his Facebook page, Stokes claimed he was, literally, stabbed in the back.
“On the mend. 7 lives left. haha scumbag stabbing me from behind and on crutches an all sad c**t.
“Be home soon.”
He wrote yesterday that he was "out the hospital" and "feelin alri [sic]."
Stokes sustained wounds to his kidneys, lungs and liver in the attack. It is believed that he was involved in a verbal row earlier in the night at a bonfire. He has a number of previous convictions, including at least one for assault, and four thefts.
In August, he was shot in daylight on open ground in the park where families were walking with their children and a local football team were preparing to play.
Speaking to the Sunday World following the incident, Stokes said one of his legs was broken as a result of the attack.
“It happened that fast I didn't have time to get a fright. I thought it was pellet gun. Basically man, [I] went to meet someone then bang, bang.
He added: “I have a broken left leg and the right is clean shot [through].”
Stokes is originally from Oldcourt Avenue in Bray but had been living in Drimnagh in the south city after being released from prison in July after serving a sentence for theft.
However, he rubbished speculation he was targeted by criminals from the south-inner city.
“I've no connections to Drimnagh, I only lived there for few weeks but I knew nobody - so that's b**lix.”
Stokes refused to comment on who he believed was behind the shooting saying: “I've nothing else to say.”
Gardai believe the Bray-based gang which was previously lead by convicted drug trafficker Brendan Kinlan was behind the shooting. Kinlan (42) is currently serving an eight year prison sentence in the UK after he was caught with €2 million worth of amphetamines.
The Bray mob are regarded as extremely dangerous and are believed to have been involved in the murder of Philip 'Philly' O'Toole in January 2013. Gardai believe Stokes was shot as a result of a dispute over a small debt.
Last year, gang boss Kinlan was sentenced to eight years in prison in Leeds Crown Court after he was caught with a €2 million drugs haul.
Bizarrely, the massive stash of designer drugs was only discovered after Kinlan had crashed his van as he swerved to avoid hitting a pheasant which had ran out on the road.
When police came to the crash scene they realised Kinlan wasn't the registered owner of the van and impounded the vehicle. After the van was towed to a garage in West Yorkshire, Kinlan continually called asking staff to return of his property in the back of the van.
During the trial, the court heard that Kinlan's persistence led to garage staff becoming suspicious and discovering the stash.
