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Teenager (16) assaulted at Belfast concert has permanent metal plates inserted in his face

Jason Tuite, from Dundalk, who suffered a catalogue of facial injuries when he was attacked outside a Belfast Vital gig on Boucher Road on August 26. The 16-year-old has undergone surgery in Dublin and two metal plates have been permanently inserted in his face.
Jason Tuite, from Dundalk, who suffered a catalogue of facial injuries when he was attacked outside a Belfast Vital gig on Boucher Road on August 26. The 16-year-old has undergone surgery in Dublin and two metal plates have been permanently inserted in hi Jason Tuite, from Dundalk, who suffered a catalogue of facial injuries when he was attacked outside a Belfast Vital gig on Boucher Road on August 26. The 16-year-old has undergone surgery in Dublin and two metal plates have been permanently inserted in his face.

A TEENAGER injured in an unprovoked attack outside a concert in Belfast last month has had two metal plates inserted in his face after undergoing surgery for facial injuries.

Jason Tuite (16) from Dundalk, underwent his first round of surgery this week at St James's Hospital in Dublin.

During the operation, surgeons inserted two metal plates in the teenager's face - one under his right eye and the other, to the side of the eye.

Doctors, who performed the surgery by going in through the teenager's skull, also found that his nose had been broken as well as his eye socket.

Jason must now wait until next month to find out whether the sight in his right eye has also been affected as a result of the attack.

The 16-year-old had travelled to Belfast on Saturday, August 26 with his girlfriend for a Belfast Vital gig at Boucher Road playing fields, which featured performances by DJ Tiesto and Clean Bandit.

As the pair were leaving the concert around midnight and looking for their bus to board, Jason was set upon by a man who jumped off the steps of a bus and kicked him in the face.

Four others also got off the bus and joined in the attack kicking and punching the teenager to the ground.

Jason Tuite, from Dundalk, who suffered a catalogue of facial injuries when he was attacked outside a Belfast Vital gig on Boucher Road on August 26. The 16-year-old has underwent surgery in Dublin and two metal plates have been permanently inserted in his face.
Jason Tuite, from Dundalk, who suffered a catalogue of facial injuries when he was attacked outside a Belfast Vital gig on Boucher Road on August 26. The 16-year-old has underwent surgery in Dublin and two metal plates have been permanently inserted in hi Jason Tuite, from Dundalk, who suffered a catalogue of facial injuries when he was attacked outside a Belfast Vital gig on Boucher Road on August 26. The 16-year-old has underwent surgery in Dublin and two metal plates have been permanently inserted in his face.

The young man suffered multiple facial injuries, including a shattered cheekbone.

On Tuesday, doctors inserted two metal plates around Jason's right eye, however he will have to wait until next month to find out how the sight in his eye will be affected, amid fears he could lose it.

Speaking yesterday, Jason's mother, Kay said surgeons who operated on her son found his nose had also been broken as well as his eye socket.

She said the plates in her son's face would remain in place permanently.

The mother-of-six also revealed that her son had now some vision in his right eye though it is blurred.

"They said so far so good," she said.

"They are not looking at this eye just yet. They have to give him another x-ray as well. He will always have those plates in. Hopefully he gets his sight back. Hopefully he will get fully recovered.

"He is powerfully scarred on his face. He has stitches all under his eye and around his eye. I'm hoping it won't be too bad. His face is still swollen so we won't know until it goes down".

She added: "He is very sore today. His nose is very sore. They are letting him out tomorrow".

Mrs Tuite also renewed her appeal for anyone with information about those responsible for the attack on her son, to come forward to the PSNI.

"Somebody saw something," she said.

"I'm sure the bus driver knows who it was. There was more than five people on the bus, I'm sure they were watching them".

Jason Tuite, from Dundalk, who suffered a catalogue of facial injuries when he was attacked outside a Belfast Vital gig on Boucher Road on August 26. The 16-year-old has underwent surgery in Dublin and two metal plates have been permanently inserted in his face.
Jason Tuite, from Dundalk, who suffered a catalogue of facial injuries when he was attacked outside a Belfast Vital gig on Boucher Road on August 26. The 16-year-old has underwent surgery in Dublin and two metal plates have been permanently inserted in hi Jason Tuite, from Dundalk, who suffered a catalogue of facial injuries when he was attacked outside a Belfast Vital gig on Boucher Road on August 26. The 16-year-old has underwent surgery in Dublin and two metal plates have been permanently inserted in his face.