Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
Woman flees home after night of chaos
Foreign national forced out by thugs
A WOMAN has had to leave her home after youths smashed her front door in.
The lady, understood to be a foreign national, was left shaken after the rampaging gang attacked the house in North Belfast on Saturday night.
Police called in social services to get the victim rehomed following the incident, on Brookvale Avenue, off the Antrim Road.
The attack came in the wake of earlier anti-social behaviour in the Oldpark area which saw around 100 young people, some as young as 13, drinking and damaging cars.
SDLP Councillor Paul Mccusker condemned the incidents adding the woman was “shaking and terrified” when he spoke to her after the attack.
The Oldpark representative added: “Residents are at the end of their tether with this ongoing behaviour dominating the area at weekends.
“It is despicable that a refugee, who left her war-torn country for a better life, has been removed from her home by the PSNI for her own safety after thugs attempted to gain access to the property during the disorder.
“All residents, no matter class or creed, have the right to live in peace, free from intimidation and fear.
“I would urge the teenagers and young adults partaking in this disruption to stop and think of the consequences”.
Police said yesterday they received a report of burglary and criminal damage.
Inspector James Murphy added: “Officers attended the address and were told by the householder that the front door and an inner door had both been damaged and entry gained to the property by a group of youths.
“The resident of the house, a lady in her 50s, was upset by the incident and police put her in touch with Social Services to make other accommodation arrangements.”