Northern Ireland

Gang smash up east Belfast house in front of young child

A house in east Belfast has been targeted by an armed gang
A house in east Belfast has been targeted by an armed gang A house in east Belfast has been targeted by an armed gang

AN armed gang has smashed up a house in east Belfast in front of a three-year-old child.

Masked men forced their way into the home on Stormount Crescent between 9.45pm and 10pm on Saturday January 6, although details about the attack were only released yesterday.

Police said a grandmother, her heavily pregnant daughter-in-law and a three-year-old child were in the house at the time.

A PSNI spokesman said the gang, who were armed with baseball bats and sledgehammers, smashed the living room window and front door "causing injury to a person inside".

No further details on who was hurt were released.

Police said a three-year-old child who was in the house at the time has been "left petrified and distraught at this particularly nasty experience".

Meanwhile, officers are investigating an arson attack in a separate area of east Belfast on the same night as the Stormount Crescent incident.

A vehicle was destroyed sometime between 11.15pm and 11.30pm close to Breach Close on January 6.

Police said the blaze "placed at risk a well known and respected local community boxing club".

Officers have appealed for information.