I’m subscribed to press releases from all the political parties and the title of this one from Sinn Fein made me actually open one for a change.

And my stomach turned reading it…

Chairperson of Magherafelt District Policing Partnership, Councillor Seán McPeake has condemned a vicious homophobic attack on two young men in Maghera at the weekend.

The attack which was carried in the early hours of Sunday morning by a gang numbering between ten and twelve people and which included at least two young women, began with verbal abuse being shouted from cars as the two victims walked close to the town’s Catholic church upon their return from an entertainment venue. They were then chased and assaulted in the Crawfordsburn area.

Making their way to the family home of one of the victims, gang members physically assaulted the victims mother, biting her on the arm. The attack on the women caused her husband so much distress that he was admitted to hospital with a suspected heart attack.

Cllr. McPeake said:

‘The message must go out loud and clear that such sickening homophobic attacks have no place in our society. Everyone regardless of class, creed, colour, nationality or sexuality have the right to live their lives with full dignity and in peace’

Homophobic attacks in Northern Ireland are regular incidents and there are efforts by the PSNI and the gay community to work together on reporting and policing the issue – however this is also the land of Iris Robinson and Ian Paisley Jnr.