POLICE have said they are treating an incident in Co. Tyrone in which a man was verbally abused, assaulted and had his phone taken as a racially-motivated hate crime.
The incident occurred in the Ballycolman Estate in Strabane on Saturday afternoon.
Investigators have appealed for witnesses as they attempt to trace a man in connection with the incident.
“It was reported that a man, who was delivering leaflets in the Ballycolman Avenue / Columban Terrace area at around 3.45pm on Saturday afternoon, was verbally abused then physically assaulted by a man who had stopped and got out of a grey-coloured car,” read a statement from the PSNI.
“The attacker also took the man’s mobile phone before getting back into his car and driving off in the direction of Bridge Street.
“He was described as being approximately 30 years of age, 5′ 11″ tall, of heavy build with a short beard and brown hair and was wearing a dark top and spoke with a local accent.”
Anyone who witnessed the incident or who may have captured footage that could assist the investigation is asked to call 101, quoting reference number 934 of November 15.