A 38-year-old woman is in a critical but stable condition after being attacked with a cordless drill in Northern Ireland in what police say is possibly a “homophobic” incident.
The “monstrous attack” happened on Railway Street, Strabane, around 2am on Saturday.
SDLP assembly member for West Tyrone, Daniel McCrossan, said it was “one of the most horrific incidents” he had learned of during his time as a politician.
He said he understood the cordless drill was used to “drill into her skull” in what he described as a “horrific, monstrous, brutal attack”.
McCrossan said the incident had sent “shock waves across the entirety of the wider Shrabane community” who were in “deep, deep shock”.
“I actually felt sick, that this could happen,” he said.
A 17-year-old man was today being questioned by police after being detained a short distance from the crime scene.
Police said the “victim sustained a very serious head injury” and that they were “exploring a possible homophobic motive for the crime”.
Detective Sergeant Brian Reid said: “This was a brutal attack and the injuries sustained by the victim are extremely grave.”
Police urge anyone with information or video footage of the incident to contact police in Strabane on 101, quoting reference number 153 05/05/18.
Alternatively, information can also be provided to the independent charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 which is 100% anonymous and gives people the power to speak up and stop crime.