As news emerges of a gang attack on an 18-year-old man in Londonderry, it has been revealed that a west Belfast man has been brutally beaten simply for asking a group of young people to keep the noise down.

The North West assault took place when four masked men attacked the young victim in the Waterside area.

They forced their way into a house in Kinsale Park at about 11pm on Tuesday and beat the victim with hammers, breaking his wrist.

The police said a motive for the attack had yet to be established.

Detectives in Derry have appealed for anyone with information to contact them.

Meanwhile, the man attacked in west Belfast was beaten-up after asking a group of young people to keep the noise down.

Sean McCourt was attacked a fortnight ago outside his home off the Falls Road, close to where local shop keeper, Frank McGreevy was murdered some months previously.

Mr McCourt was hit in the face with a bottle and despite having escaped to the safety of his home, the gang then tried to smash down his door.

"When they started kicking the door in, I went in and grabbed a knife and the first one that came through the door - I don't care what age or who they were - I was going for them," Mr McCourt said.

"If I got done, I got done. I didn't care if they had got me, I wasn't worried about myself, it was what would happen if they turned on the girlfriend.

"They were shouting through the window that they were going to kill me and that they would be back to burn me out," he said.

However, the situation was saved with the arrival of the police.

"They were at the door for about 10 minutes trying to kick the door in but luckily enough that held. But, as soon as they seen the blue siren they all scattered.

"You never think its going to happen to you. You go over to ask somebody to be quiet. You never think your going to be whacked over the head with a bottle and try to break into the house to get at you."

Mr McCourt had previously lived in the very same flat where Frank McGreevy was savagely beaten, however, he was forced to leave by the thugs terrorising the area.

(BMcC)