The Ulster Unionist Party’s Justice Spokesperson, Doug Beattie MC MLA, has condemned last night’s shooting of a 16-year-old boy in west Belfast as child abuse.

Doug Beattie MC said:

“I utterly condemn last night’s incident in which a 16-year-old boy was shot in both legs in Aitnamona Crescent, west Belfast.  

“It is a tragic reality of life in too many areas of Northern Ireland that such so-called paramilitary style shootings are still a relatively common occurrence and it is all too easy for society to somehow become almost de-sensitised to them.  

“The fact that the victim in this case is so young means that this incident will attract greater publicity and condemnation. This was nothing less than child abuse. Had this boy been shot by the Army, the Police or loyalists, then there would be a huge outcry. The fact he was shot by people form the republican community does not lessen the impact of this crime.

“As a democratic society we should all be furious that this type of activity is taking place in our midst. There is no place in Northern Ireland for armed gangs of any type. They therefore have no justification for using weapons to threaten or attack anyone. Every single community in Northern Ireland should only be policed by the PSNI and be subject to the rule of law.   

“The Police need the support of the community. These gangs have a malign grip on too many of our communities and that grip can only be broken when local people pass on information to the Police about the activities of these gangs, and the Police take action. Only when the Community and the Police work in partnership will we be able to build a truly peaceful society in which criminal gangs cannot operate and conduct the type of disgraceful and barbaric attack which occurred in west Belfast last night.”