The mother of an aspiring young footballer who suffered serious burns to his face in an acid attack has told how she is ‘disappointed’ and ‘angry’ after his attackers got away with a juvenile caution.
Christie Agberhiere appeared on Monday’s episode of RTE’s Claire Byrne Live, alongside her son Tega Agberhiere, who was attacked alongside two others, all aged 17, at around 11pm on Thursday, April 25 2019.
At the time, she told how the teenager cried out in pain after the corrosive substance was thrown in his face in Waterford, Republic of Ireland.
In December, the boys’ parents were told by gardai that those responsible for the attack have been given juvenile caution and will not be charged.
‘It’s like a pain in my heart,’ she said on the show. ‘I don’t even know the words to use. I can’t even get my head around it. I was disappointed, upset, I’m angry.’
Christie Agberhiere (pictured far right) appeared on Monday’s episode of RTE’s Claire Byrne Live alongside her son Tega (centre) and his friend Padraig (pictured far left) – who were both victims of an acid attack, aged 17, on April 25.
Christie told of her anger after learning her son’s attackers have been given juvenile caution and will not be charged. Pictured, Tega suffered first-degree burns in a horrific attack in Waterford
Tega (pictured) has played for Ireland’s U16s and has had trials with Tottenham and Crystal Palace, but doctors had to battle to save his sight
She continued: ‘If somebody would’ve told me this was the justice served to the perpetrators I never would’ve believed it because of the severity of what happened.’
‘We’re not talking about an incident where maybe they saw a stick around the corner of the street and used it to hit them. No! My anger here is that this was premeditated. It was well-planned.’
‘We don’t pick up a bottle of acid. It wasn’t only acid, they got a club, pepper spray – all these weapons.’
Victim Padraig appeared alongside Tega and his mother on the show and recalled: ‘The 25th of April, myself, Tega and our friend Oisin, we were on the Dunmore Road in Waterford city, and there was a group of lads in Earl’s Court looking for a friend of ours, none of them lived there.’
Three of the victims, including Tega (pictured), required medical attention for burns and were taken to University Hospital Waterford for treatment
‘And when we went up there, the lads were there, there was four of them.
‘They were tooled with weapons and they attacked us. When we were trying to get away, they threw acid at us. Me and Tega were in hospital within an hour of it happening.’
Keen hurler Padraig, who was wearing shorts to reveal the damage he suffered, showed the skin graft he underwent, two on his thigh and one on his calf, and told how he won’t be back on the GAA pitch for another couple of years.
‘I won’t be back playing hurling for about another two years at least, the doctor said in Cork, because I’ve to wait for scars to go right…like my skin so I can take the bang of a hurley again,’ he explained.
Meanwhile, footballer Tega, who had the acid thrown in both his eyes and face, told how he was back playing his favourite sport.
‘I got it in my face and my eyes,’ he said. ‘In my right eye, the vision is worse than it was before. I have a little scar, kind of near the middle of my eye, but it’s getting better.’
‘I’m back playing football. I kind of keep to myself more than I would in the past, I stay at home more, I don’t go out as much.’
Speaking of the change she has seen in her son since the attack, Christie added: ‘There’s a lot of changes. Before he would go out after his training, hang around with friends but now he’s home more.’
Another of the teenagers injured in the attack was Padraig Sullivan, also a keen sportsman. He suffered severe burns to his thigh (pictured)