East Antrim projects helping to tackle the ‘regrettable reality’ of paramilitarism, commissioners report

Mid and East Antrim Borough had the joint highest number of paramilitary style attacks in Northern Ireland in the past year, according to a new report.
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The borough recorded 10 paramilitary style assaults - the same number as Belfast.

The figures, drawn from the PSNI’s Recorded Security Situation Statistics for the period October 1 2019 to September 20 2020, are included in the Independent Reporting Commission’s (IRC’s) annual report on progress towards ending paramilitary activity, which was published yesterday (Tuesday).

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The commission states: “Regrettably, we have to report that paramilitarism remains a reality of Northern Ireland life in 2020. We regard its continuation as unacceptable. On the positive side, however, we also report grounds for hope.

“From our engagement with relevant stakeholders, we have encountered several examples of encouraging developments in communities where paramilitarism has been an issue and indeed in some cases remains so. These have included initiatives around providing mental health support, youth provision, social economy projects,

restorative justice and welfare advice.”

Addressing educational under-attainment, the report focuses on projects being taken forward by the Department of Education. “One example is the Aspire programme – a pilot between Monkstown Boxing Club and Abbey Community College set up under the Action D1 WRAP project– which is based on the guiding principle that significant learning cannot happen without significant relationships.

“Each pupil on the programme is assigned a key youth worker who nurtures the relationship, promotes positive behaviour and builds good social skills. Soon after joining the programme a Year 12 pupil, who had not

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engaged with mainstream education, had multiple suspensions during his time in junior school and was diagnosed with Asperger’s syndrome, began to recognise the importance of education for his future and found an environment in which he could cope with setbacks and reach his potential in education. After his year with the programme he achieved 9 GCSE qualifications at grades A-C, and his home life changed positively for him and his family. He reflected on his experience, commenting: ‘My Key Worker helped me deal with conflict and how to handle those situations better. If it wasn’t for the guidance and support I got from this programme, I don’t think I would have been as successful in achieving my GCSE’s and getting on my college course. Words cannot explain how grateful I am to have had the opportunity to participate in the Aspire programme.’”

The report also looks at ‘Communities in Transition’, which aims to support eight identified geographic areas across Northern Ireland, where there has been a significant history of paramilitary activity and coercive control, to move to more open and accessible communities where paramilitarism no longer plays a role.

“As of 31 March 2020 , partners are delivering 28 projects across the eight areas. Local co-ordination teams have been established in each area to ensure there is a consistent presence within each community able to build relationships within and across the relevant areas.”

The project is operating in the Larne area, including Antiville and Kilwaughter and in Carrickfergus, including Northland and Castlemara.

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The positive input of other organisations including Volunteer Now and the Education Authority (EA) is acknowledged too by the IRC.

“Volunteer Now (in partnership with Sport NI and the University of Ulster) delivered a programme on lawfulness through sport (the SmallSteps programme) to 473 young people from 16 schools in areas of deprivation/areas with indications of paramilitary activity in Derry/Londonderry, Larne, Carrickfergus, Lurgan and Bangor. School closures resulted in postponement of the Small Steps phase two project at a point when 246 of the intended 450 children had taken part.”

Via the EA’s Youth Outreach programme ‘Steer Teenagers Away from Recurrent Trouble’ (START), 13 outreach workers were place across the eight Communities in Transition areas, and in Rathcoole and South Belfast.

The report states: “Across the eight areas, outreach workers have built relationships with young people who do not currently engage with youth services and who are at higher risk of involvement in paramilitary activity.”

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In the document, the IRC also looks at the role of neighbourhood policing.

“We reiterate that effective neighbourhood policing is a key element to the transformation of Northern Ireland’s society. We have engaged with a number of the PSNI’s Neighbourhood Policing Teams across Northern Ireland, including those working in Lurgan, Portadown, Derry/Londonderry and Carrickfergus, and have seen at first hand the difference effective neighbourhood policing makes.”

Responding to the report, the Paramiltary Crime Task Force (PCTF) highlighted the work it has undertaken.

Crime Operations Assistant Chief Constable Barbara Gray said: “To date, working with our partners in the National Crime Agency (NCA) and Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs (HMRC), the PCTF has carried out 573 searches and made 274 arrests against those paramilitary groups assessed as not presenting a threat to National Security. So far, we have secured 220 disposals, meaning that people have either been charged or reported to the Public Prosecution Service. There have also been 40 successful prosecutions.

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“The Task Force has recovered significant quantities of criminal property/proceeds of crime including cash, property, vehicles, illicit drugs and contraband cigarettes. This amounts to nearly £4.5 million of revenue loss prevented, 176 firearms and weapons taken off the streets (guns, imitation guns and offensive weapons), 46 vehicles seized and drugs with a street value around £1,658,204 seized. Over £2m in property has been frozen, £429,558 in cash has been restrained and suspects have had to pay back £614,343 as a result of recovery and confiscation orders.

“It is also encouraging that the IRC engaged with a number of the Neighbourhood Policing Teams across Northern Ireland, including those working in Lurgan, Portadown, Derry/Londonderry and Carrickfergus, and said they saw at first hand the difference effective neighbourhood policing makes.”

Click here to read: A boat and herbal cannabis seized in Carrickfergus drugs search operation