Two men have been seriously injured in separate so called "punishment beatings" in north Belfast. Ten masked assailants were involved in one of the assaults.
The first happened at 11 p.m. on Wednesday on Oldpark Road. When a 37 year old man answered his door, he was struck on the head with a blunt instrument. He is being treated for a fractured skull and a broken jaw.
An hour later, a 20 year old man was surrounded by 10 masked people at a chip shop on Ardoyne Avenue. The gang, armed with hammers, iron bars and a baseball bat studded with nails, left the man with serious injuries to his legs and body.
A local SDLP councillor, Mr Alban Mnginness, condemned the beatings.