A 31-year-old man from Co Kildare is being held after a female police officer was left critically ill and two others injured following an attack at a Co Antrim police station. Last night he was moved to secure accomodation under the Mental Health Order.
The woman (54), a constable and a mother of three, was on duty at Lisburn PSNI station in the early hours of yesterday when a man was brought in by other officers.
He had been picked up along the main Dublin-Belfast road, and taken to the nearby Lagan Valley hospital, where he told them he was in fear of his life.
He was then taken to the police station late on Sunday evening, where he stayed for up to four hours. He was given tea and sandwiches in a public area of the police station.
However, some time just before 2 a.m., the man made his way to a restricted area of the station when the reception desk was not staffed. It was then that an attack took place in a corridor.
The woman was struck on the head with a metal bar and sustained severe injuries. One other officer suffered cuts to his face and required stitches, while the third officer received bruising to his wrist.
The police officer suffering the worst injuries was taken to the Royal Victoria Hospital Belfast, where her condition last night was said to be critical but stable.
There has been widespread shock and condemnation of the attack, and police officers are checking for any signs of a motive.The Policing Board chairman, Prof Desmond Rea, said the attack was vicious. He confirmed he has asked the Chief Constable, Mr Hugh Orde, to report on the incident to the next meeting of the board.
The SDLP and DUP also condemned the assault.The wounding of the officer comes at a politically sensitive time for the PSNI as "normalisation" measures are being adopted. Some unionists oppose the measures, which include the removal of fortification after 30 years of violence. Mr Ian Paisley junior said such policies were premature.
The SDLP and the PSNI want police stations to be more accessible to the public in an effort to encourage contact with both communities.
The PSNI's Supt Gerry Murray, on duty at Lisburn yesterday, said: "Police stations are considered, and are, places of safety. This man came for our help and our aid. This was an unforeseen attack, but police stations are like any other building - they are secure, but there's no such thing as 100 per cent security. My officers...were dealing with him as a member of the public who required assistance and was given assistance."