A BRAVE passerby armed himself with a hurling stick and stepped in to stop a suspected knifeman who was allegedly trying to behead a man in a Belfast street.
Dad Maitiu Mág Tighearnán, known as Matt, put himself in harm’s way along with two other members of the public in a desperate bid to save the victim during the horror attack.
Matt had just come back from a night out when he discovered the terrifying scene unfolding outside his home on Monday night.
Grabbing a wooden hurley stick, used in the Irish sport of hurling, he rushed out to confront the attacker.
Dramatic footage showed Matt swinging the stick several times at the suspect as he and two other men tried to stop the sickening attack.
The suspect was arrested on suspicion of attempted murder after the attack at around 10.30pm left a man in his 40s fighting for his life.
A man, 30, has since been charged with attempted murder, possession of an article with blade or point in a public place and threats to kill.
The victim suffered significant eye injuries as well as wounds to his face, neck and back – he remains in a serious condition.
Social media footage appeared to show a man standing over the bloodied victim while holding a knife to his throat.
Witnesses could be heard screaming: “He’s trying to cut his head off.”
Heroic bystanders then intervened and brought the incident to an end.
Matt’s partner, Aoife O’Reilly, paid tribute to his bravery.
She said: “I couldn’t be prouder of Matt.
“This is my partner and the father of my child who stood in and hopefully saved a man’s life last night.”
She also described him as “very, very humble”.
Matt is understood to have escaped serious injury during the confrontation.
Writing online after the attack, he said he had come across the incident “by chance” and that he “got out to protect a young lad” when he realised what was happening and before police had arrived.
His identity emerged as police revealed they has arrested a Sudanese asylum seeker.
He is believed to have travelled from Sudan to Paris, and then from Paris to Dublin, on unknown dates, before taking a bus to Belfast in February 10, 2023.
PSNI Chief Constable Jon Boutcher said he then immediately claimed asylum, before he was given leave to remain in the UK on September 28, 2023.
Police said a kitchen knife was recovered from the scene.
Witnesses described hearing the victim screaming before he was taken away by ambulance with bandages covering his head.
Detectives have said they do not believe the attack was terror related.
First Minister Michelle O’Neill urged the public not to jump to assumptions about the Belfast stabbing suspect’s immigration status when he crossed the Irish border into Northern Ireland.
She said: “We don’t have the full picture here, so I think that’s important to say.
“I think for today the main focus of all of us, certainly collectively standing here together today, is to appeal for calm.”
O’Neill added: “My message today is one of calm and don’t allow those people that don’t care about people here to incite hatred, to incite fear.
“Don’t allow those people who are faceless to orchestrate campaigns on the streets.”
Chief Boutcher told reporters at Stormont: “There is no trace of this suspect on any of our national security databases, and he was not known to the Police Service of Northern Ireland.
“I’ve been in direct contact with the head of terrorism policing in the UK. At this stage we have no information to suggest that this was terrorist related.
“I do appreciate the nature of the attack has led to speculation it is terrorist related, however there is nothing to suggest that that is the case.”
He added that he warned people in Northern Ireland being ” influenced “from afar through social media” in the wake of the knife attack.
He said: “There will be an increased police presence across Northern Ireland this evening and in the coming days to provide help, support, and reassurance for all our communities, and to keep everybody safe.
“There is considerable posting on social media. I appeal for everyone to be mindful of what they view and share online.”
The chief added: “And I understand that last night’s attempted murder will leave people feeling enraged with emotions from fear to anger, but please, please let the PSNI, let the police do their job unfettered and undistracted by wider concerns there may be about disorder.”
