25 March 1999 Edition
RUC refuse to act over bus attack
A Greencastle community worker has accused the RUC of refusing to act after a sectarian attack on a bus full of school girls.
Whitewell Residents Association spokesperson Paul McKiernan has called on the RUC to publicly state whether it was informed of the attack on the school bus on Thursday 18 March.
The attack took place when school girls on their way to home from Little Flower Secondary School had to dive for cover, as their bus travelling along the Somerton Road, was attacked with ball bearings fired from catapults.
Despite parents and Translink informing the RUC of the attack a spokesperson for the RUC claims that it has no knowledge of the attack.
A Translink spokesperson confirmed that it had received a complaint over the incident and had informed the RUC.
``The window on the bus was broken and it is a matter of policy to automatically report damages such as this.''
A spokesperson for Little Flower Secondary School also confirmed that the attack had taken place.
She said the matter had been reported to the RUC by parents of those girls on the bus at the time.
Paul McKiernan says that the RUC now has a duty to state whether or not it was actually informed of the attack.
``When Translink and parents individually informed the RUC of what had happened it seems strange that no record now exists.
``If this is a simple clerical mistake that is well and good but if the RUC is not taking these attacks seriously then it must be asked why.''
Whitewell Residents Association spokesperson Paul McKiernan has called on the RUC to publicly state whether it was informed of the attack on the school bus on Thursday 18 March.
The attack took place when school girls on their way to home from Little Flower Secondary School had to dive for cover, as their bus travelling along the Somerton Road, was attacked with ball bearings fired from catapults.
Despite parents and Translink informing the RUC of the attack a spokesperson for the RUC claims that it has no knowledge of the attack.
A Translink spokesperson confirmed that it had received a complaint over the incident and had informed the RUC.
``The window on the bus was broken and it is a matter of policy to automatically report damages such as this.''
A spokesperson for Little Flower Secondary School also confirmed that the attack had taken place.
She said the matter had been reported to the RUC by parents of those girls on the bus at the time.
Paul McKiernan says that the RUC now has a duty to state whether or not it was actually informed of the attack.
``When Translink and parents individually informed the RUC of what had happened it seems strange that no record now exists.
``If this is a simple clerical mistake that is well and good but if the RUC is not taking these attacks seriously then it must be asked why.''