‘We are living in fear’

The 47-year-old woman and her 53-year-old partner were assaulted at their Roes Hill home in Laurencetown on December 3 by two teenage girls and a 17 and 18-year-old male.

The 14 and 15-year-old girls were arrested along with the two boys but released on bail pending further police enquiries. One of the two victims, a mother-of-three, was left bruised following the attack, which she described as looking like “a riot outside the front of our house”.

The woman, who did not wish to be named to avoid further grievance, said the trouble began in August this year when her 13-year-old daughter decided to stop socialising with a group of teenagers in the local area. She said her daughter soon realised the group were “trouble” and decided not to remain in their company but is now “a prisoner in her own home”.

“My daughter used to go up the town at weekends and walk round the shops like any other young teenager,” said her mum. “Now she is too afraid to do that because this girl - the ringleader of the group waits for her off the bus and follows her and torments her.

“It’s got to the stage where we have to leave my daughter into school and arrange for her to be collected because she’s not safe using the bus.”

The woman’s partner, with whom she moved to Roes Hill one year ago, was left with a facial injury which required medical treatment in the latest incident. At the end of last month the couple claim their car was kicked and dented causing around £2,000 worth of damage.

“We moved into this quiet estate from Banbridge a year ago and for the past four months have had to call the police regularly because of these incidents,” the woman’s partner said.

“We want our neighbours to know we are not bringing this trouble. We just want it to stop.”

Police are appealing to anyone with information in relation to this incident to contact them on 0845 600 8000. If you prefer to provide information without giving your details you can contact Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.