Goleen lawyer had lucky escape

By Kieran O’Mahony

GOLEEN lawyer Michael Kingston had a lucky escape when he found himself caught up in the middle of the London terrorist attacks on Wednesday afternoon.

Four people were killed and dozens more seriously injured when a suspected terrorist attack took place.

Speaking to The Southern Star from London, Mr Kingston said it was ‘utter mayhem’ with people lying every 10 yards along Westminster Bridge, including cyclists, tourists and business people who had got caught up in the attack.

 Had it not been for a ‘call of nature’ and chatting to a woman about a ‘wobbly chair’ outside the rest rooms, he would have been in the middle of the bridge when the attack happened.

‘I was at a meeting at the Foreign & Commonwealth Office and I was walking from there via Westminster Bridge to the IMO (International Maritime Organisaton). I was at the traffic lights on the other side when a car crashed into a railing across from me,’ said Michael.

‘If it was a few minutes later, I would have been at those railings,’ he said.

‘It was just awful and I witnessed the people on the ground injured and after the crash I heard gunshots and I assumed it was terrorists shooting people at the time.’

Following the attack, Michael made his way back from Westminster Bridge and he advised people coming in his direction to go back and away from the scene.

‘As I stood at the traffic lights before the attack I was thinking about a talk that I’m doing tomorrow on an agreement in conjunction with the Irish Coast Guard, and I was going to dedicate my talk to the brave crew of Rescue 116 and then suddenly this happens – the opposite spectrum of people who mow down innocent people,’ added Michael.