21/03/2005

Disabled pensioner assaulted during burglary

Police in Ballymena have appealed for information after two men threatened to nail an elderly pensioner's hand to a table during a burglary at a house in the Harryville area of the town on Saturday.

At around 10pm two masked men, armed with sticks, broke into the house at Brooke Park and threatened the women who was home alone at the time.

They demanded money and beat her with the sticks before ransacking the living room. One of the men then came across a four-inch nail and threatened to nail her hand to a table during the ordeal.

The victim sustained multiple bruising to her head, forearms, hands and legs and scrapes to her arms and also passed out during the ordeal before coming round and alerting emergency services.

One of the men has been described as being 5’10, the other was smaller, around 5’7. Both were wearing denim jackets - one jacket was darker than the other - and tracksuit bottoms.

Anyone with information is asked to contact detectives on 028 2565 3355 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

(MB/KMcA)

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