From the Archives: "They kicked him and he came home all battered up."

Sunday, December 24, 2006

Man in Santa outfit is beaten up

Where else are the crudest and most mean-spirited impulses of humanity impervious even to the season of good cheer? — Northern Ireland, of course.

From the BBC:

A man dressed as Santa Claus has been treated in hospital after he was beaten up in Londonderry.

The attack happened on the Lone Moor Road in the city on Thursday.

Thomas McGilloway, who is 42, was kicked and punched by a gang of youths and had to be treated in hospital for an eye injury.

Mr McGilloway was on his way to deliver presents when the attack happened. His mother said she thought he was attacked because of the Santa outfit.

She said he was walking to his brother's shop when the attack happened.

"A crowd came over to him and started on him, just out of the blue," Mrs McGilloway said.

"They said 'get you out of that, you're no Santa Claus, there's no Santa Claus in this world'.

"They kicked him and he came home all battered up."