Family can not return to home after December shooting

A mother said she cannot return to her home after shots were fired through the window of the property in December.

Her north Belfast home was attacked on 19 December.

Her mother’s home was targeted the following day when Kirsty was there with her three children.

The Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) said it is investigating a possible paramilitary connection between the attacks on Woodvale Avenue and neighbouring Ainsworth Street.

The woman’s nine-month-old son was asleep in a pram in the kitchen of her mother’s home when shots were fired through the kitchen window and back door.

She and her other two children, aged 10 and seven, had gone to the house on Ainsworth Street after their home was attacked.

PSNI Det Insp Harvey said: “Those responsible have demonstrated an astonishing level of recklessness and a complete disregard for human life, it is only by sheer luck that no one was injured or killed.”

The woman had not been at home when her house was attacked the day before, but said her partner, who is Catholic, was.

Speaking to The Nolan Show she said she believed the homes were attacked because of his religion.

“I’m fed up of people saying we got put out of the area for selling heroin. That is not the case.

“I’ve done nothing wrong. It’s just people wanting me out of the area because my baby’s daddy is a Catholic.”

The family is currently staying in temporary accommodation, but will be moving into a permanent address soon in a different part of the city.

“My kids can’t go back to their own school over something that’s just not true,” she said.

“My wee girl wants to go back home, I told her we can’t go back home.”