Northern Ireland

MLA condemns 'cold-blooded' petrol bomb attack in Coleraine

MLA Claire Sugden has said those behind the "cold-blooded" petrol bomb attack must be brought to justice.
MLA Claire Sugden has said those behind the "cold-blooded" petrol bomb attack must be brought to justice. MLA Claire Sugden has said those behind the "cold-blooded" petrol bomb attack must be brought to justice.
By Allan Preston

A petrol bomb attack in Coleraine has been condemned as a “cold-blooded” attempt to endanger life.

Police were alerted just after 1.40am that a petrol bomb had been lit and thrown through the front window of a property in the Laburnum Place area.

A PSNI spokesperson said: “When officers attended, the fire had been extinguished.

“Thankfully, no one was injured in this reckless attack, but extensive smoke damage was caused to the living room of the property.

“This is being treated as arson with intent to endanger life and we are appealing to anyone who may have seen anyone suspicious in the area at the time of the fire, or anyone who may have CCTV or doorbell footage that could assist with enquiries, to contact police on 101 quoting reference number 95 of August 11.”

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East Derry MLA Claire Sugden said such attacks should not be allowed to become normalised behaviour.

“Any kind of attack like this must be strongly condemned,” she said.

“It was simple good fortune that no-one was injured, or worse in, this attack.

“We simply have to make it clear to those responsible that this kind of assault will not be tolerated.

“This message clearly is not getting through as it is, because we hear regularly of attacks like this. There was a petrol bomb attack in the town on this very date last year.”

She continued: “Those behind this targeted and cold-blooded attack must be brought to justice and the police need to get a handle on these attacks and on those behind them.

“People have the right to live without the fear of this kind of violence.

“Thankfully, the fire was able to be extinguished before it could spread to the rest of the house or neighbouring properties, and by the time the police arrived. Smoke damage was, however, caused to the living room – through which the petrol bomb was thrown.

“Our communities deserve better than this – something which is being treated by police as arson with intent to endanger life.”