Children 'as young as six involved in disorder'

Children as young as six were involved in disorder in the Creggan area of Londonderry, according to the police.

Petrol bombs, masonry and fireworks were thrown at officers during a security alert in Southway on Tuesday night.

It began after police attending a sudden death in nearby Magowan Park found a suspect device, which was later declared an elaborate hoax.

Derry’s top police officer Ch Supt Gillian Kearney described the trouble as “senseless”.

A 36-year-old man who was arrested on Tuesday has been charged with rioting, criminal damage and disorderly behaviour.

He is due to appear before Londonderry Magistrates' Court on Thursday.

“That disorder occurred as officers were dealing with such a sensitive incident is shameful,” Ch Supt Kearney said.

"There are reports of children as young as six and seven years old being involved.

"This is child criminal exploitation.

"It also serves to damage local communities and divert our resources away from dealing with the things that matter most".

Those involved left the area at about midnight, police said.

There are no reports of injuries. Some police vehicles were damaged.

Bishop of Derry the Right Reverend Donal McKeown said the disorder had further compounded a family's grief.

“It is shameful because someone has died, that person has friends and relatives, the last thing they want outside their house is someone causing trouble,” Bishop McKeown told BBC News NI.

“They want to be treated with sympathy, they want the death to be treated with respect.

"They want the place to be kept calm so the death can be dealt with and they can be allowed to grieve in peace and quiet.

“Trouble like this simply adds to their difficulties and their pain."

Bishop McKeown said reports of young children being involved were “worrying” and asked “parents, families and communities to ensure our young people are looked after”.

The leader of the Social Democratic and Labour Party (SDLP) Colum Eastwood condemned the attack on police.

“It’s particularly disheartening to hear reports that children may have been involved, risking their own futures for thoughtless attacks on police Land Rovers,” he said.

Appealing for calm, the Foyle MP said the “people of Derry do not want this”.

“And none of us want to see children throwing opportunities away by getting involved in this,” he said.

Democratic Unionist Party assembly member for Foyle, Gary Middleton, said reports that young children were involved "beggared belief".

Six year-olds, he said, “do not come prepared with petrol bombs and fireworks”.

“They were used and exploited by others in that area who clearly put no value on the lives of those children or the police officers they were attacking," he said.

“This was a disgraceful attack on police officers who are working on behalf of the entire community to keep us safe."

Ch Supt Kearney said officers would not be deterred from carrying out their duties.

“We know from the work our officers do on a daily basis, what happened last night will have provoked anger in the local community and wider area,” she said.

"I want to reassure the community my officers will be out today working to remove drugs from the streets, responding to domestic abuse calls and protecting communities from those who seek to cause harm to the most vulnerable”.

Police have asked for anyone with information to come forward.