Arson attack on Armagh bar brazen and disgraceful, says MP

A man with brown hair in a comb over, black square glasses and blue eyes standing on a street with cars in a blue shirt and a pub visible behind him that is painted blue, black with 'The Toby' and 'Bar' visibly written in gold.

Sinn Féin MP for Newry and Armagh Dáire Hughes says the incident, at the Toby Jug pub, was "disgraceful"

Cormac Campbell and Faye Kidd
BBC News NI

An attack on a pub in Armagh on Monday evening was "brazen and disgraceful", according to the MP for Newry and Armagh.

A petrol bomb was thrown into The Toby Jug pub at about 20:55 BST on Monday.

Police said people who fled the premises were threatened with a knife.

Two men, one in his 30s and another in his 60s, received treatment in hospital for burn injuries and one of them has since been discharged.

A 38-year-old man has been charged with two counts of attempted murder, arson with intent to endanger life, possession of a blade or point, and three counts of criminal damage.

He is due to appear before Newry Magistrates' Court on Wednesday.

Sinn Féin MP for Newry and Armagh Dáire Hughes told BBC News NI it was a "brazen and disgraceful attack in relative broad daylight".

"I'm sure the people in the pub and surrounding areas were terrified," he said.

"The fact that the fire service and PSNI acted so promptly should give some degree of comfort to the community."

A CCTV grab of Irish Street, a wide road with a red building on the corner to the right with a sign saying "Taxi" in the window. To the left of the frame a figure in a blue puffy jacket and dark tracksuit bottoms can be seen holding a flaming object.Social media

CCTV footage was posted on social media

In a statement posted to on social media, The Toby Jug said it was "shocked and saddened" by the events and thanked those who offered messages of support and concern.

It said it would remain closed while it assessed the damage.

In CCTV footage posted on social media a man can be seen walking along Irish Street with a plastic bag.

He takes what appears to be a petrol bomb out of it, walks across the road towards the bar and lights it before walking in.

He is then seen leaving the premises without it.

When people, including a woman and a young girl, then run out of the pub the man pulls what appears to be a knife from his pocket, before turning and walking away.

An elderly woman with a straw hat on and orange scarf and black glasses on. She has blue eyes and is standing in front of a stony house.

Breege Shaw has been a resident on Irish Street for 30 years

Breege Shaw, who has lived on Irish Street for 30 years, saw the aftermath of the incident.

She told BBC News NI there were two fire engines and police cordoned off the street at St Malachy's church.

"I didn't know what was happening," she said.

"At the time the police just said it was a fire. But it is just very sad because this is a lovely street to live in."

Red and white police tape blocks a road lined with buildings coloured blue yellow and grey, the closest building is blue and black - outside there are orange and white Armagh GAA flags hanging from the front of the building. It is night time.

The road had been closed but has since reopened

Justin McNulty, Social Democratic and Labour Party MLA for Newry and Armagh, told BBC News NI the incident was "shocking" and "horrific".

"People are scared and for women and children to have had to flee in the manner they did is horrendous," he said.

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