Men injured in 'vicious' assault

Two men have been seriously assaulted in what police have described as a vicious assault in County Antrim.

Three masked men, armed with a handgun and baseball bats forced their way into a house in Main Street in Ballycarry at about 2200 BST on Thursday.

They singled out the two men before assaulting and threatening them.

One of the victims, who are Italian, is being treated in hospital for a suspected fractured skull.

Whatever reason those responsible for the attack have, this lynch mob justice is unacceptable

Roy Beggs MP
East Antrim

The other man sustained a broken wrist in the attack.

The police commander for the area, Superintendent Tom Haylett, said a motive for the attack was not yet clear.

"We have a number of Italians and Portuguese working locally at the power station," he said.

"They have been here for over a year now. Generally they've integrated very well into the local communities and have lived in peace so we have been surprised by this particular attack.

"We haven't established a motive to date although I do have detectives working on it to try and ascertain that."

The MP for East Antrim, Roy Beggs, described that attack as "deplorable" and said it would not be tolerated.

"Whatever reason those responsible for the attack have, this lynch mob justice is unacceptable," said Mr Beggs. Police have appealed to anyone who has information about it to contact them.