A MAN HAS been arrested by police investigating an incident in which a man was nailed to a fence in Co Antrim. 

The PSNI received a report shortly after midnight on 5 May that a man, aged in his 20s, had been found nailed to a fence with a nail through each hand in the Bushmills area. The man also had injuries to his nose. 

The police force had described the attack as “sinister” and said the man has been left with potentially life-changing injuries. 

Police who attended the incident said two vans, including one belonging to the injured man, were discovered on fire in the public car park near Dundarave Park. 

Crews from NI Fire and Rescue Service attended to extinguish the fire. Extensive damage was caused to both vehicles.

Police said graffiti found on a nearby gable wall of public toilets is being linked to the assault and arson.

Detectives  investigating the investigating the serious assault have today arrested a 37-year-old man in the Bushmills area. 

He was arrested under the Terrorism Act and taken into custody. 

A search was also carried out at a residential premises in the Bushmills area as part of the ongoing investigation, with a number of items seized and taken away for further forensic examinations.

“Our investigation remains ongoing regarding this sinister assault, in which a man in his 20s was discovered ‘nailed’ to a fence with a nail through each hand,” Detective Inspector Lavery said.

“This barbaric attack has been widely condemned and we would continue to appeal to anyone who was in the area at the time and has any information, including dash-cam or other footage, to contact police on 101 quoting reference 13 5/5/24,” Lavery said.

Alternatively, people can submit a report online using the PSNI’s non-emergency reporting form via http://www.psni.police.uk/makeareport/. People can also contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111 or online at http://crimestoppers-uk.org/.