Arsonists target DUP politician's home
A DUP councillor returned home to find smoke billowing from the roof of his house in a suspected sectarian attack in south Armagh, it was revealed today.
Glenn Oliver's house on the Tullygeasey Road, Newtownhamilton, was badly damaged by last night's blaze. Vandals also daubed 'Orange Scum' on the garage of the remote bungalow.
Arsonists poured flammable liquid through two rear windows and set it alight. The kitchen and entrance to a bedroom were worst hit.
DUP Assembly member Willie Irwin said: "Glenn returned home to see smoke coming from the eaves.
"The fact that he came back quite quickly saved the house from being completely gutted."
He was at a Newry and Mourne District Council meeting representing local people.
Mr Oliver, aged in his 30s and a roofer, has lived there for the last eight years on land owned by his wife Gillian's family.
Gillian left the house an hour before the blaze was discovered at around 8pm to go to a church meeting.
Mr Irwin added: "They will not be moving, they are part of the furniture there."
The couple were shocked by their ordeal. Mr Oliver was first elected to Newry council in 2005.
Ulster Unionist Assembly member Danny Kennedy said: "Glenn is a local councillor, he isn't a career politician and hasn't attracted attention to himself by making political statements, so this is a very nasty attack."
He said these kind of incidents were fairly rare in the area, although there have been a number of Orange halls targeted in recent times.
Mr Kennedy added: "I think they are trying to come to terms with it, it is a very traumatic incident."
A police spokeswoman said they were treating the case as a hate crime with sectarianism one line of inquiry.
Newry Sinn Féin mayor Colman Burns said he deplored the attack and called for anyone with information to bring it to the police.
SDLP Assembly member Dominic Bradley said: "This is a despicable attack on the home of an elected representative and it will be condemned by all right-thinking people."
