A DUP councillor facing questions about his contact with a housing association after sectarian intimidation prevented a young Catholic mother from moving into a new home has defended his actions.
Dale Pankhurst approached Choice Housing saying a "concern" had been raised about the mother-of-four moving into one of its new-build properties in north Belfast.
The social housing body sought an assessment from police who confirmed they were unaware of any threats against the 24-year-old single mother.
But last week shortly before she was due to move in, windows were smashed and the anti-Catholic slur 'KAT' (kill all taigs) was scrawled on a wall.
A Union flag was also draped from a drainpipe on the property at Tyndale Gardens in the mainly unionist Ballysillan area.
There is no suggestion Mr Pankhurst had advance knowledge of the intimidation directed against the young mother.
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In a statement last night he said wanted to raise "the matter in confidence" and, as a public representative, had a "duty of care to all residents when I receive any form of information that may indicate danger to life or property.”
The west Belfast woman, who is from a Catholic background and has four boys aged between five and three months, has now abandoned her plans to move into the area.
She told The Irish News she "started crying" when she learned of the attack on the property.
"I thought fresh start, new house, me and my four babies could move in, have a garden to play in – and then all this stuff happens," she said.
"The house was beautiful. The garden was huge – my boys would have loved the garden.
"I just can't take that house now."
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The young woman, who did not wish to be named, was hoping to move to the north of the city to be closer to her mother.
She said two of her children have special learning needs and her newborn son is just recently out of hospital due to breathing difficulties.
After being allocated the house last month, she said a housing official told her Mr Pankhurst had "phoned in with a concern about me moving into the area".
She and her ex-partner tried to contact Mr Pankhurst but "he wouldn't give him or me the concern that was raised".
"He said you will have to go to police. I went to police. They said, 'we can't tell you what it was'.
"Still to this day the police, Choice and Dale Pankhurst can't tell me what this 'concern' was against me."
She said that police later confirmed they were unaware of any threats against her or any concerns over her moving into the house.
SDLP activist Paul Doherty has been assisting the young mother.
He described the sectarian intimidation as "shocking" and "deplorable".
"The thought that this family have been singled out simply because of their religion is deplorable and those involved in this attack on them and what was to be their new home should be ashamed," he said.
The SDLP Westminster election candidate for West Belfast added: "How was she identified as being a Catholic? There is an issue there of data protection."
Mr Doherty also raised questions over Mr Pankhurst's interventions and urged him to cooperate with the police investigation.
"The night she viewed the house, Choice Housing had a call from Dale Pankhurst saying there was an 'issue' with this woman moving in," he said.
He added: "There is clarity needed around the source and what information he received that made him go to Choice Housing."
"He should provide police with that information which will no doubt help with their investigations."
PSNI inspector Paul Noble said the attack on the property is being treated as a hate crime.
"It was reported that sometime overnight on Wednesday November 27 into Thursday November 28, a number of windows were smashed and sectarian graffiti sprayed on the property," he said.
Mr Noble urged anyone with information to phone police on 101, quoting reference number 407 of 28/11/19 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.
A PSNI spokesman added: "We do not discuss the security of individuals and no inference should be drawn from this.
"However, if we receive information that a person's life may be at risk we will inform them accordingly. We never ignore anything which may put an individual at risk."
Choice Housing refused to say what contact it had with Mr Pankhurst in relation to this case, or what issue he had raised which prompted a police assessment.
In a statement a spokeswoman said: "Choice allocates all properties in accordance with the Housing Selection Scheme.
"We are unable to comment on individual cases due to tenant confidentiality."
In a statement last night Mr Pankhurst said: "As a public representative I raised a concern to Choice Housing which came to my attention.
"This centred on the safety of the woman in question. I wished to raise this matter in confidence with the organisation.
"I have a duty of care to all residents when I receive any form of information that may indicate danger to life or property.”
A DUP spokeswoman said: "The DUP and councillor Pankhurst condemn all forms of intimidation and attacks and therefore condemns those responsible for this incident. People should be free to live where ever they wish."
Police meanwhile are investigating another attack on a vacant house in Tyndale Gardens. The PSNI said it received a report that graffiti had been sprayed on a property on Monday November 25.
A spokeswoman said: "This is being treated as a hate crime and enquiries are continuing".
