Stewart Dickson MLA condemns paramilitary attacks in Carrick on Monday night

THE ALLIANCE Party has condemned a loyalist paramilitary gang behind two “vicious” assaults in Carrickfergus.

The party’s East Antrim MLA Stewart Dickson said he was “shocked” after two men were attacked in separate incidents in Carrickfergus on Monday night by groups of men armed with hammers and bats.

During the assaults, the two men who had their arms broken in Carrickfergus.

The first incident happened at a house in the Sunnylands Grove area of the Co Antrim town at around 10.20pm on Monday.

A gang of masked men broke in and assaulted a man with wooden baseball bats. He was taken to hospital for treatment on a suspected broken arm.

Then at around 10.30pm police received reports a large group of men forced their way into a house in Pinewood Avenue and set upon a man using hammers.

He was taken to hospital with two suspected broken arms.

Also at 10.30pm, a gang of masked men kicked in the front door of a third house in Knocklade.

They went in but later left with no reports of anyone being assaulted.

Detectives are investigating a link between the three incidents.

They have asked anyone who witnessed suspicious activity or who has any further information to come forward.

Stewart Dickson MLA said: “I am shocked at these vicious assaults. I am deeply concerned that there appears to be some sort of organisation behind these incidents.

“There is never any justification for carrying out such brutal and barbaric attacks. The people responsible obviously have no regards for the well-being of others.

“If anybody has any information about these incidents then I would urge them to contact the police,” he added.