A fight which has left one man fighting for his life in hospital may have started at a party held within the grounds of Police headquarters at Prospect.

An altercation broke out at the Police Club during a social gathering attended by numerous officers on Tuesday night. One of the social club's windows was smashed in the fracas and Police were eventually called to the scene.

The Royal Gazette understands that that incident is now being linked to another attack which occurred a few hours later in Hamilton.

At about 5 a.m. on Wednesday, Shaun Stevens, 24, from Pembroke, received serious head injuries after being set upon by a gang at the junction of Court Street and Church Street. He was taken to the King Edward VII Memorial Hospital's intensive care unit where, last night his condition was described as improving.

So far Police are remaining tight-lipped about the investigation. Although they did initially confirm that Mr. Stevens had been involved in an earlier altercation with the gang before being confronted on Church Street, a Police spokesman refused to confirm that any of the men involved had been at the Police Club.

"The situation is that the investigation into the assault is ongoing and, as a result, I can't really comment any further on what has taken place,'' a Police spokesman said.

"There was a function at the Police Club and the Police were called there but I'm not prepared to comment any further -- I am not going to get into that at the moment while the matter is under investigation.'' The spokesman was not able to confirm who had organised the function at the Police Club but denied that it was a Police party.

But he did acknowledge that several Police officers were present.

Three Sandys Parish men have been arrested in connection with the incident and are being held in custody while the investigation continues.

SMASH -- A boarded-up window at Police Club.

Graphic file name: BLOCKED POLICE POL