Gardaí follow definite line of inquiry into fatal sword attack on chef in Cork

Detectives are now looking for a specific individual in respect of the fatal attack on Ian Baitson (33) in the Cork harbour town of Cobh last Friday evening.

A number of searches have been conducted, several supported by armed Gardaí, involving properties across Cobh and the Cork harbour area as detectives search for a specific individual and the weapon used in the attack.

Ports and airports are also understood to have been briefed on details of the individual involved.

Detectives believe the weapon used to slash Mr Baitson was a heavy-bladed sword or Samurai-type weapon.

A post mortem examination was conducted at Cork University Hospital (CUH) on Wednesday and it is understood to have indicated Mr Baitson died from blood loss and trauma following a catastrophic slash-type injury to his leg.

Gardaí have refused to release the results of the post mortem examination for operational reasons.

Mr Baitson was attacked at 8.55pm last Friday night at a car park near a busy shop on the Newtown Road in Cobh.

The father-of-one immediately collapsed after being struck with the sword.

Shocked locals ran to his aid and tried to staunch the blood loss.

Cobh locals have hailed one young man - German exchange student Arian Hanitzsch (18) - as a hero for how he used his first aid training in a desperate bid to help Mr Baitson.

Arian is sitting his Leaving Cert at Colaiste Eamon Rís and was trained in first aid in his native Germany, later joining the Red Cross in Cork to maintain his skills.

He admitted Friday's incident had left him deeply shocked.

"I suppose it was pretty hard for me that first night, the nights are very short and you think about (it) very much," he told RedFM's Neil Prendeville Show.

"My thoughts and my prayers are with Ian and his family...what they are going through is so much worse than what I was going through. And that's why it is so important that everyone thinks of them and I have my thoughts and prayers with them.

“I did not see what happened but there was another guy who saw it. I was standing next to the entrance and he ran in screaming: ‘There’s a man down and then I ran out to help him.

“I ran outside and I saw a man laying down there - there was no reaction or nothing anymore. There was another guy and we worked together as a good team, we called the ambulance and everything and sorted out that we could help him very fast and very quickly.”

The teenager urged members of the public to learn first aid.

He said: “At this stage, I want to see people learn first aid, in my opinion, it’s very important that students - and also adults - learn first aid. If I’d never heard about it before I wouldn’t have been able to help him. Everyone should learn CPR, how to bandage someone and how to organise situations like this.”

Colaiste Eamon Rís principal, Aaron Wolfe, said the entire school was very proud of how Arian bravely tried to help the injured man.

Mr Baitson was rushed to CUH last Friday night where he underwent emergency surgery.

The chef remained in a critical condition until he lost his brave five day fight for life on Tuesday.

His funeral arrangements are expected to be confirmed within the next 24 hours.

Immediately after the attack, Gardaí cordoned off the area of Newtown Road for a full forensic and technical examination.

CCTV security camera footage is now expected to play a critical role in the investigation.

The incident occurred a short distance from a busy local shop and not far from where Mr Baitson lived and grew up.

No arrests have been made as yet and no weapon has been recovered.

One line of investigation is that the victim may have been targeted as part of a dispute over money.

Gardaí are convinced that Mr Baitson knew his attacker.

Mr Baitson was a skilled chef and had worked in a number of leading Cork hotels, restaurants and gastro pubs.

He was born and raised in the Cork harbour town.

One former employer, who asked not to be named, said he was a hugely talented chef who was destined one day to run his own restaurant.

"Ian was a lovely guy - a gifted chef and someone who got on with everyone," he said.

"He worked with me for about a year. He was very talented and I knew that he was on his way to run his own restaurant some day. We are all absolutely devastated to hear of his death."

Gardaí are convinced that others must have witnessed the incident as the roadway was quite busy on Friday evening at the opening of the bank holiday weekend with motorists, those heading out socialising and pedestrians.

Detectives are particularly interested in identifying vehicles which were in the Newtown Road area between 7pm and 10pm on Friday evening and which may be equipped with dashcams.

It is unclear if the young man was attacked by one or more assailants.

Cobh Gardaí have urged anyone with information to contact them to assist their inquiry.

An incident room has been set up in Cobh Garda Station and a family liaison officer has been appointed to support Mr Baitson's relatives.

"Gardaí are appealing for any witnesses to this incident to come forward."

"Any road users who may have camera footage (including dash-cam) and were travelling on the Newtown Road between 8:45pm and 9:15pm are asked to make this footage available to Gardaí."

"Anyone with any information is asked to contact Cobh Garda Station on 021 4908530, the Garda Confidential Line on 1800 666 111, or any Garda Station."