Family terrified as home targeted in racist attack

Shinu Mathew has thanked neighbours who rallied around his family after the graffiti appeared

A man has said his young family have been left terrified after racist graffiti was daubed on their home in Ballykelly.

Shinu Mathew, who lives with his wife and two children, aged seven and four, told BBC News NI that they considered leaving the area following the incident but neighbours had persuaded them to stay.

Graffiti was painted on three homes in Fort Drive and Forest Drive in the County Londonderry village between 03:00 and 04:00 BST on Tuesday.

Police said it was being treated as a hate crime.

Graffiti appeared on properties with the words ' Irish first' sprayed in paint

Those targeted included an elderly woman and another couple, a Sinn Féin councillor said.

Mr Mathew said he could not sleep the following evening after the graffiti appeared, fearing his home would be targeted again.

"When I hear a car pass at night I am always going to the window to check," he said.

Mr Mathew said police assured him there would be an increased officer presence in the area following the incident.

He thanked his neighbours for being supportive and said his family was incredibly grateful for the kind people in their community.

Neighbours cleaned graffiti

"My neighbours came, brushed it, cleaned it, washed it, they then told us if we need anything or if something happens again then to call them and they will come," he said.

"We were planning to move, but the neighbours said they give support to us, and after that we wanted to stay."

One neighbour, who did not want to give their name, said they were disgusted by what happened to the family, describing it as "totally outrageous".

"They are a lovely family and the weans [wee ones] all play together," the neighbour said.

"There was about 20 of us out with thinners and bleach trying to clean it [the graffiti] all up for them."

Sinn Féin councillor Dermot Nicholl says the community is in shock

Sinn Féin councillor Dermot Nicholl condemned the attacks and said the whole community was shocked.

He praised neighbours who rallied around to help.

"It's not nice for anyone and these types of attacks aren't warranted at all," Mr Nicholl said.

"Ballykelly is a small commuter village, it is a relatively quiet area and people have been really shocked by this."

'Not warranted and not needed'

"I don’t understand this – it doesn’t make any sense - it's not warranted and not needed," Mr Nicholl said.

"People from different cultures all live in this area, they contribute to this community and have a right to live here."