A Dublin mam has said she has been left "terrified" for the safety of her son after he was allegedly stabbed with a flat head screwdriver by bullies.
Nadine Staunton, from North Kings Street in Dublin city centre, is a mum of three sons and her youngest two have both been diagnosed with autism.
She previously campaigned to get her middle son Maddix, nine, into a school three years ago after he was left on a HSE waiting list for years.
Read more: RTE Liveline listeners hear Royal Canal chaos as woman who can't swim is pushed into water
On Sunday 12 June, Nadine claims her son Maddix was attacked by a group of boys in the Greek Street Flats area in Dublin.
Nadine told Dublin Live: "Maddix has been getting bullied by a group of boys for a while now. They call him dopey and call him names over his clothes.
"It's just getting out of hand now. Last Sunday he was at his granny's in Greek Street Flats when he was jumped by a group of boys who stabbed him in the leg with a screwdriver.
"He was brought to Temple Street Hospital afterward for treatment. I thought he was going to die, I don't want this to happen to another child."
Nadine said that she has reported the incident to gardai and Maddix is now home recovering.
She said: "I'm terrified to let him out of my sight now. It's a shock to think this could happen.
"That children are carrying screwdrivers and knives around. I think there needs to be a law to protect kids from bullying, if kids could even get a curfew that would help."
Nadine described her son Maddix as "always being on the go" and that she is now worried for his safety as the summer holidays approach.
She said: "I'm going to do everything in my power to protect him as best I can and I want people to know that bullying is not okay.
"We're blessed that Maddix is going to be okay but we could have been organising his funeral if it had been a knife."
Dublin Live has contacted An Garda Siochana for comment.
Read more: Man to leave Ireland after being found not guilty of Josh Dunne's murder
Read more: Wildlife expert called to knock out dog that mauled defenceless kid in Dublin
To get the latest breaking Dublin headlines sign up for our free newsletter
