Man arrested in connection with arson attack on homeless charity

By David Young, PA

A man has been arrested by officers investigating an arson attack on a homelessness charity in west Belfast.

Police are also probing menacing graffiti that appeared on a street nearby making threats to anyone involved in repairing the damage to the Welcome Centre building.

The centre on Townsend Street was significantly damaged in the early hours of Tuesday when a stolen Volkswagen Golf was rammed in reverse into the shutters and then set alight.

The suspect, aged in his 40s, was detained on Wednesday morning on suspicion of arson and related offences.

Officers are also investigating the graffiti that was daubed on a wall in the nearby Milford Close area. Police received a report about the incident around 1.20am on Wednesday.

The PSNI has urged anyone with information about the graffiti and the original arson incident to come forward.