‘My daughter’s number was written on a wall alongside RIP’: Families on drug-debt intimidation

A woman has described how both she and her husband were beaten up, the windows of their home smashed and their young children threatened due to a drug debt owed by their eldest son.

The woman shared her story at a vigil outside Leinster House on Tuesday where she joined protesters in seeking support for families targeted by drug-related intimidation.

Speaking to The Irish Times, she said: “My husband and I were both beaten up twice, in separate incidents, but that wasn’t the worst of it. My younger children were aged five and nine at the time; they were threatened outside school, people were making slit-throat gestures at them.

“My older daughter’s number was written on a wall near our house, alongside ‘RIP’.”

The woman, who wished to remain anonymous, believed her son was forced to sell drugs in return for being given some for personal use, before his debts saw the situation get out of hand. It led to “years of hell” for their family.

Her husband had to give up work so he could be around to protect their children.

She said the incidents only stopped “after years of threats” when one of the ringleaders was in court over an incident of vandalism of a car. She explained the judge was aware of her situation, and told him he would be jailed if the harassment of her family didn’t stop.

Her son eventually gave up drugs, but died three years ago from an unrelated health issue.

Another woman at the vigil, also speaking anonymously, explained how her family life had been upended for years due to her son’s drug debts, adding that “every time I heard the phone ringing I thought he was dead”.

The two women were joined by members of Family Addiction Recovery Ireland (FARI), who held a moment of silence for the English family, from Waterford. Last month, Philip and Kim English and two of their sons, Callum (12) and Jayden (9), were killed in an attack on the Birchwood estate, just south of the city.

A girl (14) and a boy (6) remain critically ill in Children’s Health Ireland (CHI) at Crumlin in Dublin.

A well-known family-based drugs gang in Waterford is under investigation over the petrol bomb attack.

“As well as sorrow, families across the country have also expressed their anger that it is yet again families who continue to suffer and who are being terrorised daily,” FARI chairperson Breda Fell said.

Fell called for “robust and co-ordinated action across Government departments” to deal with the issue of drug-related intimidation.

She commended Minister of State at the Department of Health Jennifer Murnane O’Connor for her willingness to engage with FARI. Murnane O’Connor was in attendance along with Opposition TDs.

[ Net closing on gang that murdered family in Waterford, says Garda CommissionerOpens in new window ]

However, Fell noted her group has not received any Government funding yet despite appearances before the Oireachtas Committee on Drugs Use.

“We call for inclusion of those most affected by addiction and drug-related intimidation, namely, the families and communities,” she said.

“We also call for the inclusion of those who use substances, all to be involved in the decision-making structures to ensure more effective responses.”

A moment of silence and a brief musical performance took place after the vigil.