Three men are due to appear before a magistrates court Newtownards, Co Down, this morning in connection with a paramilitary-style beating of a 13-year-old boy last weekend. The men, aged 24, 28 and 29, were variously charged with false imprisonment, causing grievous bodily harm, possession of a firearm and assault.
The men were arrested in Newtownards yesterday by police investigating the attack on Ian Price at a quarry in the town on Saturday night. A fourth man arrested at the same time remains in custody.
The boy was singled out from a group of friends and beaten with nail-studded baseball bats. He was detained in hospital with a broken elbow, broken fingers, deep puncture wounds in his legs and extensive cuts and bruises.
The RUC is also investigating a bomb attack on a pub outside Lurgan, Co Armagh, on Wednesday night. About a dozen customers were in the Derryhirk Inn when a grenade was thrown into the car-park.