14/01/2010

Bombed Officer Looses Leg

The high profile, Irish-speaking PSNI officer critically injured in a dissident bomb attack in the North last week has now had his right leg amputated.

A police spokesperson confirmed doctors carried out surgery on Constable Peadar Heffron on Tuesday afternoon.

The 33-year-old was blown up close to his home near Randalstown on Friday by a booby trap bomb placed under his car, as he drove to work at Woodbourne PSNI station in west Belfast.

The Catholic officer initially sustained serious injuries to his legs and has had vital operations to try to save his life after being first rushed to Antrim Area Hospital, before being moved to the Royal Victoria Hospital in Belfast.

His condition in hospital remains "critical", according to the PSNI spokesperson.

Mr Heffron is an Irish language specialist for the PSNI and captain of the PSNI GAA team.

Earlier this week, PSNI Chief Constable Matt Baggott described the officer as a "hero".

Mr Heffron has been in the police for 10 years having joined the RUC and recently married. He is related to a senior Sinn Féin member.

Dissident republicans have been blamed for the attack, but police have not yet said which grouping they believe were behind it.

These republicans have been responsible for a spate of bomb attacks across Northern Ireland in the last yea with, last October, a group planting a bomb under a policeman's car in east Belfast in which the dog handler's partner suffered minor injuries.

See: Policeman 'Serious' After NI Bombing

(BMcC/GK)

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