Man released on bail after ‘nettles’ incident at Newtownabbey school

The arrest followed an incident on Wednesday in which pupils allegedly suffered nettle stings.

A concerned parent contacted the Newtownabbey Times on Thursday morning claiming the incident occurred at Abbots Cross Primary School on the Doagh Road, Newtownabbey.

He alleged a man “attacked children with stinging nettles”. Some parents, he added, are reporting children having “large lumps across their faces and necks”.

He further alleged: “Around 20 children have been reported as attacked.”

On Thursday police said they had arrested a man in his 40s for offences including common assault and possession of an offensive weapon.

In an update today, a PSNI spokesperson said: “A man aged in his 40s who was arrested in connection with an incident at a school in the Doagh Road area of Newtownabbey has been released on bail pending further enquiries.”

When contacted the school declined to comment but referred calls to the Education Authority (EA).

An EA spokesperson said: “EA is taking this allegation seriously and a full investigation is being carried out.

“The safety and wellbeing of pupils is of the utmost importance to EA and as such the allegations will be fully and thoroughly investigated.”