Priest's car vandalised while parked outside church

Vandals left a priest's car unusable after throwing about 30 stones at the vehicle while it was parked overnight at an Inverness church.

Father Domenico Zanré was planning to visit parishioners at the weekend when he discovered the windscreen, windows and bodywork damaged.

He said the vandalism likely occurred overnight Friday into Saturday, and believed it was an "act of mindless violence" and not religiously-motivated.

Fr Domenico told BBC News Scotland: "It was heart-breaking to see it. Once I got over the shock I was just thinking about all the people I had to go and see."

The car was parked at St Columba's Roman Catholic Church in Culloden.

Fr Domenico said he found about 30 large stones on the ground next to the vehicle.

He was unable to drive the car because of the smashed windscreen and windows, and he was prevented from visiting several parishioners.

"People who were quite vulnerable or in very poor health, and at least one person who is towards the end of life," he said.

"I felt slightly powerless, and that I had let them down."

Police Scotland said it was aware of the incident and its inquiries were at an early stage.