01/09/2005
Teenager remanded in custody over school arson attack
A teenage schoolboy has been remanded in custody today charged with arson at a primary school in Ballymena.
The 13-year-old, who cannot be named for legal reasons, is alleged to have carried out an attack on St Louis' Primary School on Tuesday.
Appearing at Ballymena Magistrates Court on Thursday, the boy was told by the judge that the charge was one he could not ignore and as such he did not have the power to grant bail. The fire at the school destroyed one classroom and damaged 10 others.
The teenager's mother was granted permission to visit him in the court cells.
Meanwhile, over 30 police officers have been tasked to protect property from sectarian attacks in the town.
The security which will encompass 50 Catholic-owned properties, churches, schools and GAA sports grounds aims to "demonstrate in a very visible way we are there to support the community in Ballymena, and in particular, the Catholic community", police in the area said.
Security Minister Shaun Woodward condemned those responsible for the recent attacks in the town.
“It’s not the fault of the NIO that some barbaric criminal decides to break a window, pour flammable liquid into a classroom, set it alight, destroy the classroom, and ten further classrooms are smoke damaged," he said.
“That’s the fault of the criminals. What we’ve got to do is to put the resources - that’s the police and the community - behind chasing these people, catching these people, charging these people and putting them behind bars.”
(MB/SP)
The 13-year-old, who cannot be named for legal reasons, is alleged to have carried out an attack on St Louis' Primary School on Tuesday.
Appearing at Ballymena Magistrates Court on Thursday, the boy was told by the judge that the charge was one he could not ignore and as such he did not have the power to grant bail. The fire at the school destroyed one classroom and damaged 10 others.
The teenager's mother was granted permission to visit him in the court cells.
Meanwhile, over 30 police officers have been tasked to protect property from sectarian attacks in the town.
The security which will encompass 50 Catholic-owned properties, churches, schools and GAA sports grounds aims to "demonstrate in a very visible way we are there to support the community in Ballymena, and in particular, the Catholic community", police in the area said.
Security Minister Shaun Woodward condemned those responsible for the recent attacks in the town.
“It’s not the fault of the NIO that some barbaric criminal decides to break a window, pour flammable liquid into a classroom, set it alight, destroy the classroom, and ten further classrooms are smoke damaged," he said.
“That’s the fault of the criminals. What we’ve got to do is to put the resources - that’s the police and the community - behind chasing these people, catching these people, charging these people and putting them behind bars.”
(MB/SP)
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