The senior police officer in charge of investigating the Twelfth holiday disorder has defended the PSNI response and vowed to make further arrests

Detective Chief Inspector Alan Little is heading the investigation and promised to do everything in his power to catch the culprits.

DCI Little is leading a dedicated group of 20 officers from the public order inquiry team which is currently studying more than 100 hours of video footage and 1,000 photographs.

The team is reviewing the material to form a timeline of events for individuals’ movements.

He said: “Everything I can do to ensure that the perpetrators are brought to justice will be done. I want to assure the public that a thorough and professional investigation is being conducted.

“We are examining a number of avenues to identify people so there is the best case possible to bring before the courts.”

He added: “This is time consuming but we have demonstrated that when the opportunity to make arrests presents itself we take it.”

There have been seven arrests in the Ormeau Road area for riotous behaviour and three in the Albertbridge Road area for attempted murder, riotous behaviour and disorderly behaviour. Those arrested are aged between 15 and 20 years old.

Further arrests are planned and the PSNI has indicated that significant costs will be involved.

Police are now appealing to the community for support in the aftermath of the rioting.

“To ensure as many people as possible are held responsible for their actions we are appealing for help from the community,” DCI Little said.

“We need to get people talking and get Ardoyne back to normality.”

DCI Little said officers have been working hard in Ardoyne to build relationships and they are determined the challenges to this will not succeed.

“Sinister elements are encouraging and guiding young people to persuade them to get involved. In the footage I have seen, one mother is seen taking her son home by the ear with his tail between his legs,” he said.

“Ardoyne is a decent community with good parents, just a minority are trying to ruin things for everyone and cause havoc for the people who live by the houses.”

There has been growing criticism of police tactics in recent days, most noticeably from the father of the policewoman injured at Ardoyne. He has spoken out to attack the Chief Constable for not making arrests soon enough.