Mayor's family in intruder alarm

Adrian Watson received an emergency text from his daughter

The Mayor of Antrim has been speaking of his family's ordeal at the hands of an intruder who entered their home.

Adrian Watson's 15-year-old daughter was babysitting her younger brother and sister at the time, but managed to get them upstairs and barricade them in.

She texted her parents who were at church last Thursday and called 999.

Mr Watson rushed home through heavy snow to confront the man at his family-run bed and breakfast where he made a citizen's arrest.

A man was convicted of criminal damage and assaulting police at Ballymena Magistrates Court on Saturday.

Mr Watson said his daughter had been very scared by the man, who was about 6ft 7in tall.

"She was just standing with her hockey stick in her hand - she didn't know what this man's intentions were," he said.