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Local political representatives have condemned this weeks arson attack at the home of Sharon Loughran in Damolly village and asked anyone with information on the attacker to pass it on to the PSNI.
Newry City councillor Doire Finn has offered her support following the incident which saw Ms Loughran's car completely destroyed and her home damaged in an incident in the early hours of 12 July. Police are treating the incident as a sectarian hate crime. The car was set on fire around 3am on Wednesday morning.
Councillor Finn said “This was a disgraceful attack on the home of Sharon Loughran and I have visited her to express the full support and solidarity of both myself and the SDLP. It must have been incredibly frightening to wake up to an inferno outside her home and it’s very lucky that nobody was hurt as a result of these hateful actions.
“Unlike those who carried out this attack Sharon Loughran has made an important contribution to this area over many years as a nurse at Daisy Hill Hospital and I know that people in Newry and across the North will be disgusted at what she has been subjected to.
“Nobody should ever be attacked because of their political beliefs, we are all aware of the sensitivities that exist at this time of year and it’s extremely disheartening that there are those who continue to seek to raise tensions despite the vast majority of people being respective of others’ culture and wanting to live in peace."
Cllr Finn concluded “We need to send a clear message right across the political spectrum that attacks like this will not be tolerated and should be condemned in the strongest possible terms. Everyone has the right to feel safe in their home and within their community."
Nicola Grant from The Workers Party in Newry has also condemned the attack branding it “a potentially lethal outrage without justification”
Ms Grant said, “my thoughts are very much with Sharon and her family today and with all those who have been the targets of violent and sectarian attacks.
“There is absolutely no place in the community for this type of vicious attack. It was a potentially lethal outrage without justification”, she said.
Both urged anyone with information to contact the PSNI.
