THROUGH THE ARCHIVES: Young Protestant men are victims of ‘outrageous’ attack

“A most outrageous attack was made on Wednesday (Christmas Eve) evening on two respectable young men named Richard Costley and Stewart Leckey at a place known as ‘The Old Engine’,” wrote a News Letter correspondent from Dungannon.

It was related how the two had been in Dungannon on business and after “transacting” their business the two left to walk home at nine o’clock.

On reaching the Coalisland side of ‘The Old Engine’ the men were confronted by a crowd of between 15 and 20 and greeted by swearing and abuse.

Rather than stopping they stepped of the footpath and on to the road to avoid the crowd but a scuffle soon ensued. It was then that Mr Costley was struck by “a tremendous blow” to his back which tumbled him despite being “a strong and stalwart young man”.

Mr Leckey stooped to help his friend and received a blow from a stone. In fear for their lives the two fled in the direction of their homes, it was during the chase that ensued that shots were fired at the pair, “the bullet from one of which struck the wall bordering the road, within a few feet of Mr Costley”, noted the paper’s correspondent.

It was believed that the attack on the two men had been as a consequence of recent rioting in Coalisland during which a number of Protestant residents had also been attacked.

The correspondent concluded their report by asking: “Surely the Government should take some steps to put an end to this reign of terror.”