Catholic man beaten in his garden

A 32-year-old man who was beaten to the ground in his own garden in Finlay Park, Belfast, by the PSNI described his attackers as "thugs".

Michael Wicklow was speaking after sustaining bruising to his body and forearm when a member of the PSNI struck him as he tried to protect himself during the incident on Saturday 11 June.

Wicklow was assaulted as he tried to intervene when a PSNI Land Rover drove at speed at a number of youths who had gathered at a park facing his home.

Meanwhile, a taxi driver from West Belfast has said he is disgusted by the attitude of the PSNI after he was turned away from a barracks when he tried to report a sectarian attack.

Richard Green's taxi was attacked with bricks and stones by a gang of youths from the loyalist Tildarg Estate as he travelled along the Blacks Road at around 12.45am on Sunday 12 June.

"Following the sectarian attack," he said, "I went straight to the nearby Woodbourne PSNI Barracks to report it but was told that if I wanted help I would have to contact the PSNI at New Barnsley as there were no jeeps available at Woodbourne".

Green said he was shocked by the attack, but even more by the reaction of the PSNI.