Racism: Attacked nurses spent weeks living in hospital

Eight families, originally from Africa, fled the Ballycraigy estate after a number of racist attacks.

Anti-immigration posters were taped to the windows of some properties, while others had a large black X spray painted across them.

Several car windows were also smashed.

At the time, one of the families told BBC News NI: “Even when we were looking for accommodation, no-one told us that this was a no-go area.”

Three of the nurses and their families, including young children, lived in the disused building in Whiteabbey Hospital in Newtownabbey before finding accommodation.

Spotlight has spoken to families off camera as they say they are still too afraid to speak publicly out of fear of reprisal.

In the plain, sparsely decorated room they were using as a lounge, a games console in front of the television is a reminder that children had been forced to live there.