Northern Ireland

Man questioned after attack on car belonging to Jamie Bryson

Jamie Bryson
Jamie Bryson Jamie Bryson

A man has been questioned in relation to an attack on a car belonging to Jamie Bryson.

Police confirmed that officers investigating a report of criminal damage to a vehicle in the north Down area last Sunday arrested a man in his 50s.

"The man, arrested on 2 March, has since been released on bail, pending further enquiries."

It comes as The Irish News understands the PSNI have set up a specialist CID unit to investigate threats to journalists and politicians.

At a Policing Board meeting on Thursday, Chief Constable Simon Byrne told members these incidents had escalated at the same time as "graffiti, threats and disruption towards political leaders and other high-profile individuals".

He added: "I can't go into specific detail but we have made an arrest in relation to a recent incident and we've identified another offender in relation to a previously reported incident in relation to a journalist."

In 2019 a judge at Belfast's High Court said that loyalist activist Jamie Bryson had established “on balance” that he was entitled to be treated as a journalist.

Mr Bryson confirmed to The Irish News that he had been informed by the PSNI a specialist unit would be investigating the attack on his property.

He said: “I welcome this development. I have established as a matter of law that I am to be treated as a journalist, so the PSNI are obliged to therefore afford me the same treatment as every other part of the media."