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Hoods still on the street
Five months later and Shirley is still picking up the pieces
Two notorious hoods responsible for a brutal car-jacking in March of this year that left a local mother battered are walking the streets of West Belfast even though their identities are well-known to local people.
In March of this year Shirley McMenamey was attacked by the two thugs as she sat in her silver Suzuki car on Finaghy Road North. PSNI detectives are on the trail of the pair but have been unable to gather enough evidence to charge the career hoods – who are not youths, but grown men in their twenties.
Shirley McMenamey was beaten with a hammer and dragged from her car, the two thugs sped away leaving her battered by the side of the road.
The two thugs – both from Poleglass – are well-known to the PSNI and the local community.
They have been involved in violent crime for over a decade and local people say they have shown no remorse and have been spotted in stolen cars since the attack.
Shirley was assaulted as she sat in the passenger side of her car at Ladybrook shops on March 6. She was waiting for her husband Terry who had popped into a shop to do the lottery.
One of the attackers walked up to Mrs McMenamey’s car and opened the passenger door. He called her a “bitch” and told her to get out or he would shoot her.
The other hood then opened the driver’s door and jumped in beside Shirley and started to punch her repeatedly.
She was then dragged from the car by the hair and left by the side of the road battered and bruised.
Shirley says since the attack she has found it impossible to get on with her life.
“I rarely leave the house anymore.
“I can’t drive the car and I’m terrified to go out alone. It’s hard to describe just how difficult it is to get over. I don’t know if I ever will.
“It’s horrendous to think that these people are walking around free – the dogs in the street know who they are.
“To think that they can just take whatever they like, trail you from your car and leave you at the side of the road and not even get charged.
“They had my car for three or four days. They did £8,000 worth of damage to it. I can’t believe that they didn’t leave any forensic evidence.”
And Shirley added: “These people will do this again, that’s just the type of people they are. They don’t care who they hurt, they just take what they want.
“And why would they care, they’ve got away with it this time.
“I’m suffering a life sentence, afraid to leave the house. I still have to see the doctor because the ligaments in my leg were all but destroyed.
“These people will end up killing someone.”
Yesterday a spokesperson for the PSNI said, “This is still very much a live investigation. Even at this late date we would ask anyone who witnessed the attack on Mrs McMenamey, or who has any information, to contact the police at Woodbourne.”
Journalist:: Allison Morris
Hoods still on the street
Five months later and Shirley is still picking up the pieces
Two notorious hoods responsible for a brutal car-jacking in March of this year that left a local mother battered are walking the streets of West Belfast even though their identities are well-known to local people.
In March of this year Shirley McMenamey was attacked by the two thugs as she sat in her silver Suzuki car on Finaghy Road North. PSNI detectives are on the trail of the pair but have been unable to gather enough evidence to charge the career hoods – who are not youths, but grown men in their twenties.
Shirley McMenamey was beaten with a hammer and dragged from her car, the two thugs sped away leaving her battered by the side of the road.
The two thugs – both from Poleglass – are well-known to the PSNI and the local community.
They have been involved in violent crime for over a decade and local people say they have shown no remorse and have been spotted in stolen cars since the attack.
Shirley was assaulted as she sat in the passenger side of her car at Ladybrook shops on March 6. She was waiting for her husband Terry who had popped into a shop to do the lottery.
One of the attackers walked up to Mrs McMenamey’s car and opened the passenger door. He called her a “bitch” and told her to get out or he would shoot her.
The other hood then opened the driver’s door and jumped in beside Shirley and started to punch her repeatedly.
She was then dragged from the car by the hair and left by the side of the road battered and bruised.
Shirley says since the attack she has found it impossible to get on with her life.
“I rarely leave the house anymore.
“I can’t drive the car and I’m terrified to go out alone. It’s hard to describe just how difficult it is to get over. I don’t know if I ever will.
“It’s horrendous to think that these people are walking around free – the dogs in the street know who they are.
“To think that they can just take whatever they like, trail you from your car and leave you at the side of the road and not even get charged.
“They had my car for three or four days. They did £8,000 worth of damage to it. I can’t believe that they didn’t leave any forensic evidence.”
And Shirley added: “These people will do this again, that’s just the type of people they are. They don’t care who they hurt, they just take what they want.
“And why would they care, they’ve got away with it this time.
“I’m suffering a life sentence, afraid to leave the house. I still have to see the doctor because the ligaments in my leg were all but destroyed.
“These people will end up killing someone.”
Yesterday a spokesperson for the PSNI said, “This is still very much a live investigation. Even at this late date we would ask anyone who witnessed the attack on Mrs McMenamey, or who has any information, to contact the police at Woodbourne.”
Journalist:: Allison Morris
