There can be few more depressing sights than the picture carried in the Irish News yesterday (Wednesday) of a beautiful newly-built house left almost totally gutted by a sectarian arson attack.
The house, in the mainly Protestant village of Desertmartin, in Co Derry, was previously targeted on no less than six occasions during its construction.
Its owner, a Catholic father of five, faces the prospect of demolishing the remains of his home and starting from scratch again.
The only hopeful signs emerging were the support he received from many of his Protestant neighbours, and the condemnation of the incident from elected representatives from both traditions.
However, the image of a burnt-out shell of a house starkly illustrated the intolerance which continues to exists in some corners of society.
