Police and political leaders united in call for UDA drug gangs to end feud

Although a number of arrests have been made, a detective told a court in Newtownards on Wednesday "there is fear of escalation between these factions,”.

Several homes and properties have been damaged in a series of petrol bomb attack and brick attacks in the Newtownards and Bangor areas.

On Wednesday evening there were reports of people having been intimidated out of their homes in Donaghadee.

Although police have said the violence is a result of tensions between two drug dealing factions of the Ulster Defence Association, Ulster Unionist MLA and policing board member Mike Nesbitt said there was a high risk of other loyalist grouping being drawn in.

On Tuesday a house in the Ballyferris Walk area of Bangor was petrol bombed around 9.20pm.

Ten minutes later, damage was caused to a property on the Glenbrook Road in Newtownards.

It was reported that a number of men smashed windows at the front of the house and also poured petrol over the driveway.

A short time later police then received another report of a petrol bomb attack at a block of flats in the Wallace Place area of Newtownards.

There have also been attempted hijackings and graffiti daubed on properties during the last week.

​On Wednesday, Independent North Down MLA Alex Easton described the reports of the intimidation and violence having spread to Donaghadee as “a very worrying development”.

“There seems to have been a few attacks around the Bangor and Donaghadee areas. A few people seem to have been put out of their homes and there have been petrol bombs thrown.

"It is a huge concern for the community who do not want this and, is something is not done, someone is going to get seriously hurt,” he told BBC Radio Ulster’s Evening Extra programme.

"It seems to be spreading, which is a huge worry for the local community, and I would be calling for those involved to stop what they are doing before the kill somebody, and I would be urging the public to bring any information to the PSNI because we need to put a stop to this.

"I would also be urging, that if there is anyone in the local community who can be involved in any sort of dialogue to stop to a stop to that, I would be appealing for that as well.”

Asked if he thought there could be a role for the Loyal Communities Council (LCC), Mr Easton said: "I don’t know who could be involved in some sort of mediation but certainly, I think we have to look at different avenues, because we need to put a stop to this before somebody gets killed or seriously hurt.”

Ulster Unionist councillor Philip Smith also expressed concern.

He said: "I think it’s fair to say that the community is fearful, but also totally opposed to this ongoing cycle of violence between these two groups, and the message that I'm hearing, is asking them to stop, and to stop before someone gets seriously hurt, or worse.”

Commenting on the overall policing response, Cllr Smith said: "Ards and North Down is an area that struggles with police resources at the best of times.

"I know at the moment that more resources are being deployed to the area to try and tackle the current situation, and there is high visibility policing, particularly in Newtownards… with a [police] helicopter whirling overhead”.

On social media, the UUP leader Doug Beattie branded those involved in the violence as “utterly moronic,”.

Mr Beattie said: “Drug dealers attacking drug dealers to secure their drug dealing turf – all under the banner of South East Antrim UDA. Utterly moronic. The police needs to get after their money which is all they are loyal to.”

​Alliance MLA for Strangford, NIck Mathison described the attacks as “Immensely concerning”

He said: “One attack of this kind in our community is one too many”.

Mr Mathison added: “Let it be clear that these cowardly individuals represent nobody other than themselves and their actions stand to achieve nothing but meaningless destruction.”