Ibiza shooting ordeal 'traumatic'

Two of the friends have flown back to Belfast International Airport

A County Down teenager who has returned home after being shot on the Spanish island of Ibiza remains traumatised by his ordeal, his father has said.

Gareth Richardson, 18, from Bangor, was caught in crossfire shooting between rival drugs gangs outside a club.

His friend, Niall Hamilton, 19, from Holywood, was shot in the face and has undergone surgery. He remains in a stable condition in a Spanish hospital.

Gareth's father Tom said it would take time to recover from the ordeal.

"I think the injury has got a bit deeper than just the injury - it'll take a bit of time to get out of his head," he said.

"There was an entry wound and an exit wound, so there are two holes in his chest - that has been very painful.

There were two British drug gangs and a Moroccan drug gang, and they were taking no prisoners Tom Hamilton Teenager's father

"Walking about and sitting on the flight back was a real trauma."

The incident took place in the early hours of Monday.

Mr Richardson said he had personally witnessed Ibiza's drug culture when he travelled to the island to collect his son.

"We looked at what the police were doing there, taking the boys and interrogating them aggressively, yet the drugs are for open sale in the streets," he said.

"Our boys have been caught up in it as innocent bystanders.

"There were two British drug gangs and a Moroccan drug gang, and they were taking no prisoners."

The boys' fathers said it had been a traumatic time for them

He said there was a "massive turf war" on the island, and cautioned parents whose children are flying out on holiday to be "very careful".

Niall Hamilton has had a metal plate fitted after being shot in the jaw. It is hoped he will be discharged from hospital by the end of the week.

Gareth was accompanied on the flight by a friend, Phil Young, who was uninjured as he was still inside the nightclub when the shooting happened.

His father, Ian, said his son had also endured a frightening experience.

"He received the news that they had been shot, which obviously was difficult to take in, then he was isolated from them and not allowed to see them," he said.

Spanish police are investigating the incident and are understood to have made a number of arrests.