A Belfast newspaper has published a photograph of the incident, which happened on Sunday evening at Finwood Park in Taughmonagh.

The victim was apparently tarred and feathered, tied to a lamppost and made to wear a placard around his neck reading: "I'm a drug-dealing scumbag".

The political wing of the UDA has denied that the loyalist paramilitary group was involved, describing the attack as a "community reaction".

Callers to a local radio show in Belfast this morning also supported such punishment attacks by a majority of six to one.