UUP issues 'get tough' call against gorse arsonists
Mr Robert Carmichael, the East Londonderry Ulster Unionist Party Association Chairman, has called on the Alliance Stormont Justice Minister “to get tough with gorse arsonists with a range of hard-hitting fines and jail terms”.
Mr Carmichael, speaking on behalf of the UUP association, said: “We should not underestimate the damage which gorse fires can cause as in the past there was a devastating gorse fire in the Dunloy area near Ballymena which engulfed acres of land.
Mr Carmichael said: “Lives and livelihoods have been threatened by these wanton acts of vandalism. In numerous cases, many fire engines and dozens of firefighters were needed to bring these gorse fires under control.
“This means that the entire fire service across the region was stretched and this could have placed other lives in danger if fire engines were diverted into combating these gorse fires.
“As well as urging people to report these arsonists to the police, the Justice Minister needs to give hard-hitting powers to the police and courts to tackles these mindless morons who start these potentially killer blazes. With the expected warm summer weather approaching, we in the UUP will be campaigning for such powers,” said Mr Carmichael.