Detectives in Coleraine, investigating the report of a serious assault and an aggravated burglary on Tuesday 3rd June, have arrested a man.

Officers received the first report that a man had assaulted another man in the Drumard Drive area of the town shortly after 10.15pm on Tuesday night. As a result of the assault, which is being treated as a racially motivated hate crime, a man aged in his 40’s was taken to hospital for treatment to head injuries. A second report was received a short time later that a man, matching the description of the suspect in the earlier assault, had forced entry to a house at Laurel Hill Gardens and threatened a man and woman inside with a hammer. Officers attended and conducted a search of a nearby house and arrested a 31 year old man on suspicion of a number of offences including grievous bodily harm with intent, aggravated burglary with intent to commit grievous bodily harm, possession of an offensive weapon with intent to commit an indictable offence and affray. The man remains in custody at this time.

Detectives investigating both incidents would ask anyone with any information or video footage from the Drumard Drive or Laurel Hill Gardens areas, which could assist them with their enquiries, to contact them in Coleraine on 101, quoting reference number 1789 03/06/25. A report can be submitted online using the non-emergency reporting form via http://www.psni.police.uk/makeareport/ or you can also contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111 or online at http://crimestoppers-uk.org/.