by Gareth Cross
There was just one conviction for housing intimidation in Derry between 2011 and 2016, it emerged yesterday.
The information came to light as part of an investigation into housing intimidation by investigative journalism website The Detail.
The relevant case of Attempted Intimidation - Residence/Occupation came before a Derry Court in September 2013.
On that occasion the defendant was handed a suspended custodial sentence.
The investigation also revealed that there were 47 incidents of paramilitary housing intimidation in the Derry City and Strabane District Council area between between 2015/16 to 2016/17.
There were also incidents involving anti-social behavioural, racial, sectarian, and sexual orientation related housing intimidation.
However, there were no incidents of housing intimidation relating to disability.
There have been more than 2,000 incidents of housing intimidation across Northern Ireland in the past five years with just 32 convictions.
Forced to leave
The issue has cost the Housing Executive more than £7.5m since 2012.
One anonymous person affected by housing intimidation in Derry told their story to charity Hurt NI.
"The first time I was approached by paramilitaries, I was in my early 40s," the person said.
"They thought I was selling drugs. They told me to leave Derry or I'd risk serious injury to myself or my property, this message was delivered by the PSNI to my home.
They were forced to leave Derry for a period.
"I was out of town for two years," the person said.
"I was only told one year but I stayed away two years - the treat was lifted after a year.
"It wised me up and made me more sensible, it has given me a new approach regarding people - a new outlook."
Speaking to The Detail, PSNI Chief Constable George Hamilton said £50million is being invested in a new paramilitary taskforce that aims to tackle, among other things, the intimidation issue.
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