Man beaten in 'violent' robbery

A 65-year-old man has been beaten and robbed in his home on the outskirts of Newtownabbey.

The police have described the attack as "extremely violent".

The man was watching television in the living room of his house at Carntall Road just before 1700 GMT on Thursday a gang of men came into the house.

His wife was out shopping and he had left the front door of the house unlocked.

The police continue to tell us violent crime against older people has not increased significantly, but clearly this is very cold comfort to the people involved in these incidents

Tom Cairns Age Concern

Detective constable Phil Doran said: "They came into the living room where the gentleman was lying watching television.

"They demanded money and then beat him on the head and arms with an iron bar.

"They tied him up, gagged him and lay him on the floor.

"One of the men remained with him while the other two ransacked the house."

The man managed to get to a neighbour's house, still bound and gagged.

His attackers made off with some money.

Woman robbed

And in a separate incident at about 1900 GMT on Thursday an elderly woman answered a knock at her door in Westland Road in Portadown.

Three men pushed her into the house and grabbed her throat.

She was restrained on a chair while they searched the house.

They ran off when some of the woman's relatives arrived at the house.

They stole some money and a gold watch.

'Appalling attacks'

Tom Cairns of Age Concern condemned the attacks.

"These are the latest in a series of appalling attacks against the whole community, young and old.

"But when it is an attack against older people I feel there is a whole sense of collective outrage, particularly when you consider the amount of stress which is caused to these individuals and the possible long-term effects.

"The police continue to tell us violent crime against older people has not increased significantly, but clearly this is very cold comfort to the people involved in these incidents."