Inverness priest's car targeted by vandals
Vandals left a priest's car unusable after throwing about 30 stones at the vehicle while it was parked overnight at an Inverness church.Father Domenico Zanré was planning to visit parishioners at the weekend when he discovered the windscreen, windows and bodywork damaged.He said the vandalism likely occurred overnight Friday into Saturday, and believed it was an "act of mindless violence" and not religiously-motivated.Fr Domenico told BBC News Scotland: "It was heart-breaking to see it. Once I got over the shock I was just thinking about all the people I had to go and see."
The car was parked at St Columba's Roman Catholic Church in Culloden.Fr Domenico said he found about 30 large stones on the ground next to the vehicle. He was unable to drive the car because of the smashed windscreen and windows, and he was prevented from visiting several parishioners."People who were quite vulnerable or in very poor health, and at least one person who is towards the end of life," he said."I felt slightly powerless, and that I had let them down." Police Scotland said it was aware of the incident and its inquiries were at an early stage.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Independent
26 minutes ago
- The Independent
Fire at leisure centre on third night of disorder in Northern Ireland
A fire broke out at Larne Leisure Centre following vandalism at the facility on the third night of disorder in Northern Ireland. Masked individuals smashed windows at the leisure centre in Co Antrim on Wednesday and set fires outside which spread inside. Mid and East Antrim Borough Council said the facility had been designated as an emergency rest centre for those in urgent need following disturbances in nearby Ballymena but the families had been safely relocated elsewhere. Police and firefighters worked to bring the blaze under control on Wednesday night. The fire coincided with a third night of public disorder in Ballymena, 30 minutes away from Larne. Dozens of police officers have been injured during the sustained unrest while multiple properties and vehicles have been set on fire. The PSNI deployed riot police for a third night in Ballymena as a significant crowd gathered around the Clonavon Terrace area. At least one protester was struck by a plastic baton round fired by police while officers also used a water cannon on the crowd. Demonstrators who gathered on Bridge Street near the residential area were told to disperse shortly before 9pm after a firework was thrown at officers. Officers, who warned they would fire the plastic baton rounds at violent individuals, also used dog units and drones in their response to the gathering. Riot police with shields advanced on the crowd to disperse them down Bridge Street in the town. They came under sustained attack as those participating in disorder hurled petrol bombs, masonry and fireworks at police vehicles and officers standing nearby. Elsewhere, social media footage appeared to show an established fire on train tracks running through Coleraine. Earlier, a senior officer said the PSNI had requested support from colleagues in the rest of the UK following further violence in Ballymena. PSNI Assistant Chief Constable Ryan Henderson said the force would be bringing extra officers, vehicles and equipment to areas where unrest has flared. He said there were disgraceful scenes in Belfast, Lisburn, Coleraine, Carrickfergus and Newtownabbey on Tuesday, as businesses, homes and cars were attacked and damaged. By Wednesday, six individuals had been arrested for public order offences, and one charged. Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer said he 'utterly condemns' violence which left 32 police officers injured after the second night of disturbances. PSNI Chief Constable Jon Boutcher has warned that the rioting 'risks undermining' the criminal justice process into an allegation of a sex attack on a teenage girl in Ballymena at the weekend. Stormont ministers have also made an urgent appeal for calm and said the justice process had to be allowed to take its course. Mr Henderson said the force had requested about 80 officers through mutual aid. Speaking during Prime Minister's Questions in the Commons, Sir Keir condemned the 'mindless attacks' against police. In a joint statement, ministers from across the Stormont powersharing Executive, which includes Sinn Fein, DUP, Alliance Party and UUP, said those involved in disorder have nothing to offer society but 'division and disorder'. First Minister Michelle O'Neill and deputy First Minister Emma Little-Pengelly later appeared together to voice their condemnation. Sinn Fein vice-president Ms O'Neill told reporters in Belfast: 'It's pure racism, there is no other way to dress it up.' Ms Little-Pengelly described the scenes in Ballymena as 'unacceptable thuggery'. With the protests focused in predominantly loyalist areas in Ballymena, Ms O'Neill said she did not believe it would be helpful for her to visit in the current context. DUP MLA Ms Little-Pengelly met residents in the town on Wednesday and said the local community are in fear and wanted the violence to stop. 'The key message here today is around that violence, and that the violence needs to stop, that's what the community wants to put across, and that's why I'm here to send that very clear and united message from right throughout the community and local residents for that to stop,' she said. The violence began around Clonavon Terrace on Monday night following an earlier peaceful protest which was organised in support of the family of a girl who was the victim of an alleged sexual assault in the area. Two teenage boys, who spoke to a court through a Romanian interpreter, have been charged.
Daily Mail
27 minutes ago
- Daily Mail
Sick robbers who broke into war veteran's home and threatened him with a knife before taking off with his MEDALS are jailed
A pair of robbers who broke into the home of a vulnerable war veteran and threatened him with a knife before stealing his medals have been jailed. Peter Ratcliffe, 48, and Ann Marie Simpson, 38, broke into the pensioner's accommodation in South Shields in July 2023. They pushed the elderly man to the floor and threatened him with a knife before stealing his prized possessions including his bank cards, his passport and his wedding ring. The robbers also made off with the veteran's war medals. The victim was not left with any serious injuries but was extremely shaken and traumatised from the robbery, a court heard. Ratcliffe and Simpson were identified by CCTV and were arrested just hours later. Officers found clothing which matched the outfits being warn by the robbers on the CCTV footage, Chronicle Live reported. They were both charged with robbery and remanded into custody the following day. Earlier this year, both pleaded guilty at Newcastle Crown Court. Ann Marie Simpson, 38, was sentenced to five years and four months imprisonment after pleading guilty to robbery and witness intimidation Simpson also admitted one count of witness intimidation after she sent a letter to the victim telling him to drop the charges against them. On Friday, both were both jailed at a sentencing hearing at Newcastle Crown Court. Ratcliffe, of Trinity Walk, South Shields, was sentenced to seven years and four months behind bars. Simpson, of Johnson Street, also South Shields, was sentenced to five years and four months imprisonment. Both were given a ten-year restraining order, preventing them from contacting the victim. Sergeant Kimberley Ball, of Northumbria Police said: 'This was a cruel and targeted attack on an elderly man in his own home – because of his vulnerabilities. 'I want to thank the victim for his patience and courage throughout this entire process, which I know has been extremely difficult. 'I have no doubt the streets of South Tyneside are safer now these two criminals are behind bars where they belong.'
The Courier
28 minutes ago
- The Courier
Perth road closed after car lands on roof
A road in Perth has been closed after a car landed on its roof. Glengarry Road has been taped off and police officers remain at the scene after a white Vauxhall Mokka flipped onto its roof. The crash happened just before 8pm. A spokesperson for the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service said: 'We received the call at 7.56pm to assist police with a crash. 'One appliance was dispatched from Perth Fire Station. 'We made the vehicle safe before the stop message came at 8.18pm.' An eyewitness said: 'It seems to have hit the parked Ford Fiesta on the road and flipped.' A resident on Glengarry Road added: 'I didn't see the crash but my security cameras on the house captured it in picture frames. 'It happened just before 8pm. 'You can see the skid marks on the road too. 'We have no clue how it landed on its roof.' It is not yet known if anyone was injured in the crash. Police Scotland and the Scottish Ambulance Service have been contacted for comment.
