Translink: Man arrested after train conductor assaulted in Lisburn

A man has been arrested following an alleged assault on a conductor on a train.

It happened at 12:20 BST on Friday onboard a train near Lisburn station, police said.

Police attended the scene along with the Northern Ireland Ambulance Service.

Translink condemned the incident and urged anyone with information to come forward, adding that "the safety of our staff and passengers is our top priority".

Police said the man remains in custody and is assisting police with inquiries.

"All our staff have the right to work without fear of abuse or violence," said a Translink spokesperson.

"We will be working closely with the PSNI to fully investigate this incident, and our colleague will be provided with the appropriate level of support and care.

"We condemn all instances of anti-social behaviour and have a zero-tolerance policy when it comes to anyone who physically or verbally threatens or abuses our staff."

Infrastructure Minister John O'Dowd described the alleged assault as a "despicable act".

"Incidents like this are becoming a regular occurrence on transport services and I condemn them all because they should not be happening," he said.

He added that the safety of staff was of paramount importance and wished the train conductor involved in the incident a speedy recovery.

Translink said it would use onboard CCTV and witness statements to bring perpetrators to justice.