Petrol bombers attack Belfast courthouse
The historic Crumlin Road courthouse in Belfast has been set on fire for the second night running – this time by petrol bombers.
A crowd of around 30 people gathered shortly after midnight and hurled petrol bombs into the building, which had been extensively damaged in a fire the night before suspected to have been started deliberately.
Police were called to the scene and dispersed the crowd gathered at Hopewell Street at the rear of the building.
The Fire and Rescue Service put out the blaze.
The Crumlin Road was closed while the fire was dealt with and remained shut through the night.
The court, which closed for business in 1998 has been targeted before this weekend, the last time in March.
In the early hours of yesterday morning, the Fire and Rescue Service spent seven hours fighting a blaze.
They said a large amount of damage had been caused by the first fire, with the vast majority of the roof burned away.
The Grade B listed building, designed by Sir Charles Lanyon, opened in 1850 and was the scene of many hundreds of terrorist trials through the first three decades of the Troubles.
A tunnel leads from the dock of No 1 court under the road to the Crumlin Road prison, which is also closed and now a tourist attraction.
Developer Barry Gilligan bought the property from the Government.
Initially it was expected to be turned into some form of tourist attraction but in 2006 he announced plans to turn the building into a luxury hotel but no work has ever been started.
