Björn Ívar Jónsson, from Iceland, was visiting Liverpool ahead of this weekend’s meeting with Manchester United at Anfield
Björn Ívar Jónsson, from Iceland, was visiting Liverpool ahead of this weekend’s meeting with Manchester United at Anfield
A man who was attacked by a gang in Liverpool city centre was visiting from Iceland for a trip to Anfield this weekend. Merseyside Police received a report a man had been assaulted in the city centre in the early hours of Thursday, January 2.
Officers received a call from paramedics at around 12.45am who said a 21-year-old man had been found collapsed on Hanover Street, close to the junction of Church Street, with a suspected head injury. He was taken to hospital for his injuries.
The victim has since been named as Björn Ívar Jónsson from Iceland, according to Icelandic newspaper Vísir. Björn Ívar had been visiting Liverpool with his brother and girlfriend ahead of the Liverpool v Manchester United match due to take place on Sunday.
He had been out in the city centre when he was reportedly attacked by a group of people as he left a pub. His dad Jón Arnar Stefánsson told the Vísir the attack left him on a ventilator.
He told the newspaper: “I was just at home in Blönduós (a town in the north of Iceland) last night and we got a call around one o’clock. [They said] he was unconscious on the street and taken by ambulance. He went to the hospital and was connected to a ventilator and was there overnight in critical condition to begin with.”
Merseyside Police confirmed today (January 3) that Björn Ívar would be discharged from hospital “imminently”. One man and six teenagers were previously arrested. They were:
- A 38 year-old man from Bootle, was arrested on suspicion of section 18 wounding with intent
- A 17 year-old male from Manchester, was arrested on suspicion of section 18 wounding with intent and affray
- A 16 year-old male from Sheffield, was arrested on suspicion of section 18 wounding with intent and affray
- A 15 year-old male from Manchester, was arrested on suspicion of section 18 wounding with intent and possession of a Class B drug (cannabis).
- A 17 year-old male from Salford was arrested on suspicion of section 18 wounding with intent
- An 18 year-old man from Salford was arrested on suspicion of section 18 wounding with intent
- A 17 year-old male from Manchester was arrested on suspicion of section 18 wounding with intent
In an update issued today, a spokesperson for the force said the 38-year-old man had been released under investigation and the remaining six had been bailed pending further enquiries. Jón Örn said his son does not remember the assault and will make it to Sunday’s game.
He said: “The doctor at the hospital said he would guarantee it. He himself has a season ticket to Anfield and he was going to do everything he could to get him to the stadium. If everything went well, he would get the season ticket from him. So we will take the game.”