Newry attack 'was hate crime'

An attack on a Lithuanian man in the centre of Newry, Co Down, early today was being treated by police as a hate crime.

The 35-year-old man was walking through the city centre at 12.45am when he was approached and attacked by four men on the Armagh Road close to its junction with Edward Street.

A police spokeswoman said the man was struck over the head a number of times with a piece of timber and had his mobile phone taken.

He was taken to hospital suffering from a fractured wrist and a series of lacerations to the head. His injuries was not thought to be life threatening.

Police said they were treating the attack as a hate crime and appealed for anyone who witnessed the incident to contact them.