Pregnant mother intimidated out of moving into new home

A PREGNANT mother-of-five has been forced to abandon plans to move into a new home after ’disgraceful’ and ‘threatening’ messages were spray-painted on the outside of the property.

Speaking this week, Gemma Gallagher, who grew up in Ballymagorry, had been excited to relocate her family from their cramped temporary accommodation in Strabane to a more suitable home at Lawson Park in the village.

Her children had even chosen their bedrooms after the family were offered the home in July.

However, the intimidating messages – ‘not welcome’ and ‘stay out’ – which Ms Gallagher believes was motivated by religious bias, shattered those plans.

“I got the offer for the house back in July and, ever since, we have been getting ready to move in,” the local mum said.

“But, after what has happened, there is no way that we are going through with it.

“I cried and cried when I found out. I don’t know who done it or what else they might do.

“It’s scary.”

She continued, “To get the news that we were finally getting a house more suitable was brilliant. We were all over the moon. Now, I don’t know what we are going to do. I am going to have to tell the kids that everything has changed. At least I can protect the younger ones from knowing the reason why we won’t be moving, but the older ones are going to find out that their mummy’s name was sprayed on a wall with the words ‘get out’ beside it.

“It’s going to terrify them to think that people actually snuck out at night and spray-painted our family name on a wall to stop us moving into an area.”

In a statement to the Chronicle, the PSNI said, “Police are investigating reports of criminal damage caused to house in Strabane on Friday, August 23.

“It was reported at approximately 10.40pm, that graffiti had been sprayed on the property in the Lawson Park area of Ballymagorry.

“This is being investigated as a sectarian hate crime, and police are appealing to anyone who witnessed anyone suspicious in the area or to anyone with footage that could assist with enquiries to get in touch on 101 quoting reference number 1604 of 23/08/24.”

You can also make a report online via https://www.psni.police.uk/report or Crimestoppers, which can be contacted anonymously on 0800 555 111.”

Ms Gallagher said that, though she had hoped the incident would lead to her being allocated more housing scheme points, the Northern Ireland Housing Executive has informed her that this will not be the case.

Responding to questions from this newspaper, an NIHE spokesperson said; “Every tenant is entitled to make a reasonable refusal of a property.

“In this case, the tenant will remain on the waiting list, and their housing application will be reviewed.”

Local politicans have also condemned the attack.

Strabane independent councillor Paul Gallagher said, “We don’t want to see this kind of discrimination and xenophobia anywhere, whether it is a Catholic moving to a Protestant area , a Protestant moving to a Catholic area, or a migrant trying to make a home in a new place. Wherever this sort of thing is seen, we must all move immediately to condemn it and call it out for what it is; unacceptable behaviour and hate.”

Also rebuking those who perpetrated this act of intimidation, Sinn Féin councillor, Paul Boggs, added, “I condemn the disgusting and disgraceful sectarian attack on a house in the Ballymagorry area.

“This was a despicable attempt to intimidate a young woman and her children from moving into a home.

“People should be free to be live free of intimidation and harassment, especially in their own home.

“I would urge anyone with information on those responsible for this disgraceful graffiti to bring it forward to the PSNI.”