COULTER CONDEMNS ATTACK ON FIRE CREW
Rev Dr Robert Coulter, the Ulster Unionist Party Assembly member for North Antrim and UUP Stormont Commissioner, has branded the recent attack on fire fighters and their appliance in Ballymena’s Dunclug estate as “mindless thuggery of the lowest kind”.
Assemblyman Dr Coulter, who served three terms as Mayor of Ballymena in the mid 1990s, called for every responsible citizen who knew anything about the attack to give the information as soon as possible to the police.
He added: “Over the last number of years, I have campaigned for much tougher sentences for those convicted in court of attacking health workers.
“I fully support our Health Minister Michael McGimpsey in having these tough sentences extended to those yobs convicted of attacking our fire service personnel and their equipment.
“This irresponsible thuggish behaviour of attacking fire crews must be stamped out by introducing laws to give the courts the power to heavily punish – both with fines and jail terms – those convicted of such crimes against society.
“Just as Minister McGimpsey has implemented my zero tolerance call for attacks on health workers, it is a matter of urgency that the same zero tolerance be introduced regarding violence against any mercy workers, and especially our much-valued fire service,” said Assemblyman Dr Coulter.