He's fascinated by the Titanic, he works hard in a call centre, he pays his taxes... and how has Belfast welcomed him? With five terrifying racist attacks in six weeks

A young Pakistani father has told how his dreams of a new life in Belfast have been destroyed by a spate of racist attacks on his home and car.

Ashan Parhiar (25) has only lived in Belfast since July – but already his Bray Street home in the Shankill Road area has been attacked five times by vandals in just over six weeks.

Yesterday a frightened Ashan was woken at around 3am to the sound of his living room window being smashed.

His front door was kicked in and beer bottles were also thrown at the property.

The father was alone because his wife had already returned to Pakistan with their baby.

"I ran down the stairs shaking while ringing the police. When the PSNI arrived they informed me that the windows on my car had also been smashed and the wing mirrors broken off," he said.

When the Belfast Telegraph arrived at the scene yesterday, glass from both the broken windows and bottle were still strewn outside Ashan's rented home and in his front room. A golf ball was lying underneath his car.

It was not the first attack on the home. His wife was recently forced to flee back to Pakistan with their eight-month-old baby because they did not feel safe. His parents, who had planned to live with them in the house, have now changed their minds.

While Ashan and his family moved to Belfast in July, they eventually settled in Bray Street on August 29.

"We were attacked three days after moving into the house ," he said.

"We have previously had eggs thrown at the house and my car mirrors have been broken off. I leave the living room light on as I've come to expect an attack but it has not deterred them. My family doesn't deserve any of this.

"I am not doing anyone any harm. I work hard in a local call centre, pay my taxes and contribute to the local economy.

"I want those responsible to think about what they've done and realise the effect it's had. I've been separated from my family and left feeling very alone and scared.

"Once again, I have to pay to have my car fixed."

Ashan said he and his family left "a good life in London to come to Belfast because we have always been interested in its history and culture, like the Titanic".

"Now I completely regret that decision," he said. "I wouldn't recommend working and living in Belfast to anyone and I will never forget how I have been treated. Even my parents were wondering what kind of city this is if I am being continually targeted like this. There was a Polish couple that lived in this house before me and they were forced out also – there is still damage to the back door where it was kicked in."

Ashan was too afraid to go back to his home last night so local PUP representatives arranged for him to stay in a local hotel.

Other homes in the same street were also targeted on Saturday night – one home recently bought by a Turkish man had a front window smashed and a house occupied by a gay couple had eggs thrown at it.

A neighbour said the anti-social behaviour is a recent problem and the street is normally "quiet".

"The people behind this need to catch themselves on. That man kept himself to himself, went to work and didn't do harm to anybody. There are a lot of pensioners that live in this street with heart problems and this is the last thing they need."

PUP councillor Winston Irvine said: "This sort of behaviour will not be tolerated. This hard working family want to go about their daily business and live in peace. There is absolutely no justification for this attack, which is disgusting and motivated by ignorance and hatred.

"The small minority responsible do not represent the general Woodvale area nor do they have the support of the majority of people who live here.

"There is a long tradition of people from other countries living in this area and we have made it clear that Ashan and others are welcome here."

Inspector Paul Noble said the PSNI is treating the attack on Ashan's home as a race hate crime and that enquiries are ongoing. Anyone with information is asked to contact police in Tennent Street on 101 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

Background

The attacks on Ashan's home are the latest in a spate of race hate crimes in Belfast.

Earlier this month in south Belfast a car belonging to a family from Kuwait was set alight and a window of a house occupied by a Bangladeshi family smashed.

The 2011 census revealed that 1.8% of people in Northern Ireland belong to ethnic minority groups, compared to 0.8% in 2001.

Racially motivated crimes have jumped by 50% since last year. The majority – 70% – are in Belfast, with an average of two attacks in the city every day.

Belfast Telegraph