Gary McNamara, aged 26, and his partner and child left Limerick last September after gardaí learned there was a plan by a crime gang to abduct him. It is believed his partner was threatened this week.

Garda sources last night said teenagers Joe Keane and his cousin, Jonathan Cross, were assaulted yesterday by a group of men and were taken for treatment with non-life threatening injuries to the Mid-Western Regional Hospital.

Garda sources confirmed they were interviewing a number of people in connection with the assault.

While they would not say who these are, it is believed one of those arrested was Gary McNamara.