Boys cautioned over school and church attacks

POLICE have cautioned two boys over the vandalism of a Coleraine primary school and a church on Friday evening.

Both Millburn Primary School on Greenaway Drive and the Church of Christ on Artillery Road were targeted at approximately 9.40pm.

Three windows in the school were smashed and six were destroyed in the church.

Principal of Millburn Primary School, John Platt told the Times that the school had been targeted on the previous Wednesday night by a number of youths, some as young as 12 and 13 years old. Those incidents were captured on CCTV.

“This is a complete waste of police time. The police have serious jobs to do and should not be expected to be involved in parenting youths like this,” he said.

“We are extremely grateful to the police for their help. The school and the Board of Governors fully intend to pursue this matter to juvenile court for reimbursement for the damage to our school.”

Millburn Primary School opened as normal for pupils yesterday (Monday) morning.

Reverend Bert Ritchie of the Church of Christ said windows at his church have been been targeted at least four times in the past year. He added that around £1,000 worth of oil had been taken from its oil tanks during two separate burglaries.

He said that Friday’s incident was reported shortly before 11pm, following the weekly youth club session. “This was obviously premeditated because they brought large rocks from the railway, which is adjacent to us,” he said.

He said Sunday services were able to carry on as normal but that much inconvenience had been caused.

A PSNI spokesman told the Times on Monday: “Two juvenile boys were cautioned over these incidents and are due to return for interview with police at a later date. “