The sister of a man brutally beaten in west Belfast as he waited for a taxi to take him home has said his attackers left him for dead.
Liam Garland is recovering in hospital following the assault on the Falls Road in the early hours of Saturday which left him with bleeding on the brain.
His sister Cathy Doran told UTV she thought her brother was dead.
"No-one has the right to take anything belonging to anybody especially a life. It's a disgrace. I thought he was dead,'' she said.
The father-of-four was knocked unconscious then brutally beaten as he lay on the ground outside a taxi depot.
His mother Margaret was also appalled by the extent of his injuries.
She said: "You couldn't even see his face for bruising. He couldn't get his eyes open. A big collar round him. His body was all covered in bruises. His ribs were all cracked down both sides.''
An attempt had also been made to bite Mr Garland's ear off.
"That makes it even more horrific that anyone should have to suffer anything like that. It's an absolute disgrace,'' his sister said.
The family is hoping those behind the violent attack are caught before they strike again.
© UTV News