POLICE have condemned a ‘sickeningly vicious’ attack after a man was shot and beaten in Co. Derry.
The 45-year-old was shot in both arms and legs and beaten with a bat or metal bar after a number of masked men broke into his home just before 10.30pm last night.
The man’s teenage daughter was left traumatised after she was threatened with being shot during the incident at a house in the Kurin Lane area of Garvagh.
According to the PSNI Limavady Facebook page, the terrified girl offered the gang her piggy bank in the hope they wouldn’t shoot her father.
Instead they took her mobile phone to prevent her calling for help and tried to set fire to items in the house.
Police are now appealing for information to bring the ‘hypocrites’ who carried out the attack to justice.
'Dreadful attack'
“This is a sickeningly vicious shooting and beating which has left this man with serious and potentially life-changing injuries, and a young girl severely traumatised,” said PSNI Detective Chief Inspector White.
“What sort of men would think it is acceptable to subject a young girl to this level of brutality and violence?
“Every child has the right to feel safe and protected in their own home – how is this poor child going to sleep tonight or in coming nights?
“What are the long-term effects on her going to be?
“It’s quite obvious the hypocrites who carried out this dreadful attack don’t care at all about the children in their community.
“I wonder how they would feel if their own child witnessed such a level of violence?”
Piggy bank
The PSNI Limavady Facebook expressed its disgust at the young girl's ordeal after one of the gang chased her upstairs and threatened her when she hid.
“She came out petrified with her Piggy Bank, HER PIGGY BANK! hoping that the men would take it and leave her Dad alone,” they posted.
“Instead they stole her phone and shot her Dad. My heart is broken for this girl, it makes me feel physically sick and enraged to my core.”
'No justification'
Speaking this morning, Caoimhe Archibald, Sinn Féin MLA for East Londonderry, condemned the attack.
“There is absolutely no justification for an attack like this,” she said.
“These actions should stop immediately and those responsible should get off the backs of the community.”
Anyone with information is asked to contact detectives in Coleraine on 101 and quote incident number 1478 27/10/18.
Information can also be provided anonymously to the independent charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.
