15/01/2002

Mob stone police officers at scene of road accident

Police officers who tried to help two victims of a hit-and-run accident had to flee when they were attacked by a stone-throwing crowd in Newry.

The road traffic accident occurred at around 9:30pm on Monday, January 14, on the Carnlough Road in the town. A woman and her 13-year-old sister were injured when their blue Renault Clio collided with what is believed to be a white Hiace van. The van then drove off towards Newry town centre.

When police arrived on the scene to help the injured people, they were attacked by a crowd of around 30 people from the Derrybeg Estate, who hurled stones at them. The officers were forced to leave the area, before speaking to any witnesses, when the windscreen of their police vehicle was broken.

It is believed that the two people injured in the accident are from the Derrybeg Estate.

A police spokesperson said: "Obviously our primary role is to protect life and property. It is unbelievable that we can be attacked in this way while we are trying to carry out our duty and we utterly condemn this attack." (KMcA)

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