Warden grateful for support

Some time over Monday evening and Tuesday morning of last week, Anthony McPeake's house and car were sprayed with graffiti.

The attacks came after windows were smashed at the Youth Links in Market Street in the town – where the Community Safety Wardens are based.

Mr McPeake is originally from Manchester and has been living in Ballycastle for the past eight years.

He is well-known throughout Ballycastle for his other work within the community, including drama classes he teaches.

He took up a job as a Community Safety Warden, patrolling the streets on a Thursday, Friday and Saturday, 13 months ago.

Last Monday's attack at his Caman Park home was the first such problem he has encountered in that time.

But he says it won't deter him from carrying on with the job.

"The response from the community has been very, very supportive," he said.

"It was a small minority involved, not the majority we help, and it won't put me off.

"They are just mindless vandals.

"I'm glad it was not something more serious."

Mr McPeake's children - aged five and 11 - were in bed at the time of the incident, with the youngest saying he heard strange noises outside his bedroom window around the time of the attack.

He said both kids had been "quite disturbed" by the incident.

"The rest of the family were pretty shaken up, indeed I was shaken up myself," he said.

Independent councillor Seamus Blaney said he was "shocked and disgusted" by the attack.

"It is completely unacceptable that these people, whoever they are, think they can go around and destroy people's property – especially those who are trying to help and do brilliant work here," said Mr Blaney.

He said Ballycastle didn't have an anti-social problem which was "any worse" than other towns.

"Of course there are young people running around the town getting into mischief – but this type of behaviour is much more serious," he said.

"I know the council has worked very hard along with the community wardens to help bring more activities for the young people of Ballycastle – and this is the thanks we get for it."

Councillor Cara McShane condemned the attack and said the perpetrators had attacked the "very people who were trying to them".

"There can be no excuse whatsoever for this type of attack – what these wardens are trying to do is to protect the young people of Ballycastle and help them," said Cllr McShane who is the chairperson of Moyle District Council.

"I think many local people will be aware of who is behind this, and it is important that we do all we can do to bring this to an end.

"Unfortunately there are those who are determined to continue on this destructive path of anti-social behaviour, they have resisted all offers of help and now they have stooped to carrying out these types of sinister attacks on people's homes."

Police are appealing for anyone with information on the graffiti attack at the property in Caman Park on Monday night, and the vandalism to the facilities on Market Street, to come forward.