Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
Bat gang attacks pregnant mum, child & gran
Police appeal for witnesses
A PREGNANT woman, her three-year-old child and grandmother have been left “petrified” after an attack by a armed gang.
One of the family was injured after masked men brandishing baseball bats and sledgehammers tried to force their way into the East Belfast house.
Glass in the door and a downstairs front window of the property in Stormount Crescent remain boarded up.
East Belfast DUP councillor George Dorrion condemned the attack.
He said: “Any form of intimidation is not acceptable at any time. It’s a tight community around here and they don’t like things like this.” A motive for the attack, which happened between 9.45pm and 10pm on Saturday, January 6, has yet to be established.
Police in East Belfasthave urged anyone with information to come forward. They said: “A three-year-old child was left petrified at this particularly nasty experience.
“Several masked men tried to force entry to a family home occupied by a grandmother and her heavily pregnant daughter in law.
“Those involved were armed with baseball bats and sledge hammers.
“They indiscriminately smashed the living room window and front door, causing injury to a person inside.
“If you can help police with their investigation, please call 101 making reference to serial 1399 dated 6/1/18.
You can also give information anonymously to Crime Stoppers on 0800 555 111.”