Hire firm boss’s son held over vile tweets

THE son of a director at the van hire firm used by the attacker has been arrested for allegedly tweeting: ‘Shame they don’t hire out steam rollers or tanks, could have done a tidy job then.’

Richard Evans, 37, was held on suspicion of writing threatening and abusive social media posts that were ‘likely to stir up racial hatred’.

The comments, written less than 24 hours after the attack, sparked fury and have since been deleted. One read: ‘It’s a shame – that van was a nice drive as well. Glad I’m not run- ning the van hire, the police wouldn’t like what my answer would be.’ Another added: ‘It’s my Dad’s company, I don’t get involved. It’s a shame they don’t hire out steam rollers or tanks, could have done a tidy job then.’

His father Lee Evans, who runs Pontyclun Van Hire with his four brothers, said: ‘I want to condemn in the strongest possible terms these ill-considered comments.’

Evans works for haulage firm Eddie Stobart. Last night it said it had taken ‘immediate action’ over the comments.