Family living in fear as cars are torched

Cars damaged after night of violence at Pineback at the weekend

Stephen Crawford sent the ‘MAIL’ photos of the latest attack on his vehicle - an incident which happened in the early hours of Saturday morning.

Mr Crawford, who lives with his wife Christine, aged 30, and three young children in Pinebank, Craigavon fears someone will be seriously hurt.

Stephen said his wife had heard noises and voices at around 4.45am on Saturday morning and discovered that the car had been torched.

He said that someone has smashed the car door and poured petrol inside.

“The dash is just melted,” said Stephen.

Stephen, who lives with his three youngest children, aged three, 21 months and five months, said there had been numerous attacks on his family over the past 18 months.

Stephen, who is a full time carer for his wife, said she is now terrified after the weekend ordeal.

“My youngest was born three weeks’ premature just five months ago. It’s awful what my family are going through,” he told the ‘MAIL’.

He claimed that in the past his home has also been attacked and the ordeal is taking its toll on his entire family.

“Christine is scared and devastated,” he said.

“I have just been to the doctors because Christine has started taking panic attacks and was already on tablets for deep depression and is going to need specialist help,” he said, adding that he felt that her serious ill health is a direct result of attacks against him and his family.

Stephen who is 47 said all his family want is to be left in peace. “I just hope these attacks stop. All me and my family want is just to live in peace,” he told the ‘MAIL’.

A PSNI statement said: “Police investigating an arson attack in the Pinebank area of Craigavon in the early hours of Friday, March 7, arrested an 18-year-old male. He was later released on bail pending further enquiries.”

Inspector Stephen Humphries said: “Police received a report at approximately 4.40am that a car had been set on fire outside a house in the Pinebank area. A second car was also badly damaged in this fire.

“I would appeal to anyone who may have witnessed this incident or who has any information to contact Police at Lurgan on the non-emergency number 101. Or, if someone would prefer to provide information without giving their details they can contact the independent charity Crimestoppers and speak to them anonymously on 0800 555 111.”