Elderly couple in 'horrific' attack

No motive yet established for attack

A couple in their 80s are being treated in hospital after they were severely beaten by an intruder in their Londonderry home.

Early on Friday morning a man broke into their Robert Street home in the Waterside area, tied them up and beat them with a fire poker.

Police said the householders had suffered a "horrific and sickening" five-hour ordeal.

The 82-year-old man suffered serious facial injuries, possibly a broken nose and cheekbone. His wife, also aged 82, received facial injuries and severe bruises to her face and body.

They have been described as "ill, but stable" in hospital.

Attacker called to front door

The elderly man answered their front door shortly after midnight and was confronted by a man he described as well-built, aged around 30, 5ft 4ins tall, with shortly cropped fair hair.

Father Aidan Mullan: Psychological scars will take years to heal

He was wearing dark brown trousers, a black t-shirt with white stripes and blue and white trainers.

The man forced his way into the house and tied them up with a telephone cable, punching and kicking them and beating them with a poker for several hours.

The injured couple managed to free themselves several hours later and alerted a neighbour.

Forensic experts are examining the scene and the police are appealing for information.

'Motive unknown'

Detectives are trying to establish a motive for the attack.

Robert Moore: "Sickening attack"

The couple were Catholics living in a Protestant area of the city.

However, RUC Chief Inspector Robert Moore said that there was "nothing to suggest a sectarian motive at this stage".

"This attack is horrific and sickening," he said.

"It's not just the physical but the mental trauma.

"A number of my officers involved in investigating this incident have been deeply affected by it.

"It is important we bring this person to justice and would appeal to anyone who can help do so to come forward," he said.

'Sick parasite'

The couple's parish priest, Father Aidan Mullan, said they were good people enjoying their twilight years who had been attacked by a "sick parasite".

"They are a couple, like our own parents, who live alone in their twilight years and their dignity and their security is destroyed totally.

"I often wonder about the guys who do things like this - have they no parents of their own? Have they no compassion or feeling?

"The psychological scars left on the couple, apart from the dreadful physical injuries will take years to wipe out," he said.