Student dies 10 days after assault in Portrush

The 20-year-old student who was assaulted 10 days ago outside Kellys nightclub in Portrush has died.

Chris Whitson, from Strathmore Park in Belfast, succumbed to the injuries he received during a fight which occurred in the car park of the disco on August 3. He died last night in the Royal Victoria Hospital.

Councillor Pat Convery of the SDLP said that the death was "a tragedy" and he offered his deepest sympathies to the grieving family.

"He had so much to live for. This death shows that violence brings only heartache to victims' families. It is beyond understanding what the perpetrators of such acts hope to achieve but sorrow," he said.

On the night of the assault, Mr Whitson was celebrating his brother's birthday with a group of friends in Kellys. It is believed that a dispute occurred between the victim, and his friends, and a number of other men involving a female inside the disco.

Door staff ejected both groups and it is believed that Mr Whitson and his friends were then subjected to sectarian taunting, and a fight broke out again in the car park. The second fight resulted in the injuries that left Mr Whitson critically injured.

On August 8 police issued an appeal for witnesses to the incident, and particularly wanted to hear from a group of 16 people who were picked up outside the Thatch Bar, Broughshane, at around 8.30pm on Saturday and who travelled on a Young's of Larne bus to the complex. The group of people also returned by the same route and bus having left Bushmills Road at between 1.30am and 2am on Sunday.

Two men have been charged in relation to the incident.

(GMcG)