Lisnaskea: Three charged in Athlone in connection with machete attack

News imageBBC The house at Trasna Way in which the attack happenedBBC
A gang of men forced their way into the house

Three men have been charged in County Westmeath as part of the investigation into a machete attack in County Fermanagh.

A 13-year-old girl was seriously injured in the attack last Saturday.

The three men were arrested by gardaí investigating a number of threats to kill and cause serious harm made on social media over the past few days.

The men - one in his 40s and two in their 20s - are due in court in Mullingar on Friday.

The teenager needed 300 stitches after suffering serious stab wounds. She is in a stable condition in hospital in Enniskillen.

The attack was recorded and footage posted on social media.

On Thursday morning, Garda officers carried out a number of searches in the Athlone area, looking for weapons displayed in social media videos.

A number of electronic devices and weapons were seized during the searches and the three men were arrested.

"Gardaí in Athlone are liaising with the PSNI in relation to the persons arrested and the social media videos as may be connected to a recent serious incident in County Fermanagh, which is under investigation by the PSNI," a spokesperson said.