Court told of horrific attack on Catholic

A sectarian attack on a Catholic man in the Harryville area of Ballymena, County Antrim on 11 October was described by a judge as "one of the most horrific acts that had come before the court".

The remarks were made during a compassionate bail hearing by Neil White of Wakehurst Road, Ballymena, at Belfast High Court on Tuesday 4 November.

The court was told how the 28-year-old Catholic had the charger of a mobile phone pulled around his neck, was beaten on the head with a saucepan and stabbed with a knife while his three attackers shouted "Die fenian, fucking die".

When two of the men left, the Catholic man tried to escape and seized the knife from Neil White who suffered injuries and had an ambulance called.

A PSNI patrol found the Catholic victim bleeding heavily in Henry Street in the early hours of the morning.Neil White was arrested as he left hospital later that day and was charged with attempted murder.

The court was told that the PSNI had still not found White's brother Aaron and were still trying to find the third man involved.

Judge Kerr refused to grant five hours compassionate bail to White.

Loyalist school protest leader appointed as cross community youth worker

Nationalist community workers have expressed outrage after it emerged that Jim Potts, one of the most prominent figures in the loyalist blockade of Holy Cross Girls Primary School in 2001, has been employed by the Belfast Education and Library Board (BELB) to do cross community youth work in North Belfast.

A BELB spokesperson confirmed the controversial appointment of Potts to the post of Outreach Detached Worker for the North Belfast Area Project.

Potts, a former community worker in the loyalist Glenbryn area, was one of five men charged in September 2001 with unlawfully fighting and making an affray on 3 September 2001, the day Holy Cross pupils returned to school after the summer holidays.

Potts was ordered by the court to stay away from the loyalist protest.

Members of the North Belfast Youth Providers Forum held an emergency meeting on Thursday 30 October to discuss the appointment.

Ardoyne youth worker Stephen Hughes said he could not believe the BELB's appointment and threatened to withdraw from BELB-led events. "How does this demonstrate the BELB's commitment to best practice and best value youth provision?" he asked.