Gardaí are investigating after a brick was thrown through the front window of the home of a local councillor in Johnstown, Co Meath.
Cllr Alan Lawes’ adult daughter was alone in the house and was left unhurt but badly shaken when she heard the crash of breaking glass around 10pm on Wednesday.
The councillor, who has been vocal against antisocial behaviour and drugs in his area, believes the attack was linked to an incident on Halloween night, when items were thrown at him while he attempted to pull pallets from a bonfire.
“I was in Dublin when my home was targeted last night but my daughter was on her own and she was obviously frightened by this attack,” he said.
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“I believe this incident is linked to Halloween night when fireworks, bottles and other missiles were thrown at me while I tried to pull pallets from a bonfire at the nearby park.”
Although one missile hit him in the arm, the youths scarpered when the fire services arrived after Cllr Lawes rang 999.
He later received a threatening phone call on Tuesday claiming ‘his home was next’.
He believes this is a reference to other incidents where homes in the area have been targeted in antisocial area attacks in recent times.
Cllr Lawes has been very vocal on antisocial issues and arranged a well-attended meeting between the community and gardaí in recent weeks.
The councillor is a voluntary director of the upkeep of the public park and this was the first fire lit in recent years.
“I was pulling the pallets from the fire with one hand, getting missiles and verbal abuse hurled at me and trying to ring 999 with the other hand.”
Cllr Lawes said that he was “horrified” that his home was attacked and that his daughter Amy could have been injured.
“We are looking at other people’s door cams at the minute to try to get some identification on the culprit or culprits but I won’t stand down,” he said.
He said the individuals are “trying to intimidate people in this area into being scared of them”.
“They do [not] and will not rule this area and have no right to destroy the area’s reputation as a great place to live and the right to live in peace and safety of their own homes,” he added.
A Garda spokesperson confirmed that gardaí are investigating an incident of criminal damage in the Johnstown area of Navan on Wednesday November 5th.
[ Two arrested in connection with suspected arson attack at Drogheda Ipas centreOpens in new window ]
