'Sectarian' Rasharkin attack disgusts man

Chris McCaughan (64) from Rasharkin, was in Dublin for the weekend when his Church Road home came under attack.

A PSNI spokesman said the incident happened at 2.45am on Saturday. It was reported that stones had been thrown at the windows of a house.

The PSNI spokesman added: “We are investigating to see if there is a sectarian motive.”

An 18-year-old man was arrested in connection with the incident but released pending further enquiries to return to a police station on June 14.

Mr McCaughan said his 28-year-old son Lee was alone in the house at the time of the incident.

He added that he and his 60-year-old wife Roberta have been trying to get out of the village for some time “because of intimidation”.

“Attacks from republican elements have been ongoing for years,” he said.

“We cannot walk down the town because of the sectarian taunts and comments, and I would never let my wife go anywhere in the town alone.

“When we drive down the town they throw eggs at our car and we get verbals when we are going into shops.”

Mr McCaughan said this was the third attack on his home in less than a year.

“In May last year we had the tyres of the car slashed and a window put in,” he said.

“In an attack last September the back window of my then new DLA car was put in.

“The attacks are too numerous to mention really.”

Mr McCaughan said they are not the only Protestant family living in the immediate area.

“It all seemed to start after my wife and daughter were witnesses in a sectarian incident down the street 11 years ago,” he said.

“It all seemed to stem from there. I am not a member of any political organisation or order.”

DUP councillor for Ballymoney, John Finlay, called for police to step up their patrols in the area, adding he intends to raise this latest attack with the local PSNI commander.

Cllr Finlay continued: “I condemn this attack on the home of a Protestant man. This gentleman has been the victim of several attacks in the last few years.

“Last year he had paint thrown at his house in addition to having the windows of his new car smashed. This time several windows of his home have been smashed. This attack is clearly sectarian.

“The gentleman is a pensioner and is living in fear. I condemn this attack and I believe that this man was singled out, once again, because he is a Protestant.

“Last week local Sinn Fein MLA Daithi McKay talked about leadership. As someone who lives in Rasharkin he needs to demonstrate leadership in his own back yard before lecturing everyone else. He has continually talked about the intimidation of Catholics in the town because of band parades yet he doesn’t seem to respond when the home of a Protestant is attacked.

“I call upon anyone with information to bring it forward to the Police and appeal for calm and restraint ahead of the summer.

“I also believe that in the wake of this attack that the Police need to step up patrols in the area and I will be raising this issue with the local area commander.”