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Belfast woman speaks out about the night masked men shot her nine times

In September 2013, as Jemma McGrath was returning to her Belfast home late one night, the care worker was approached by masked men.

In September 2013, as Jemma McGrath was returning to her Belfast home late one night, the care worker was approached by masked men. They shot her nine times - five times in one leg, once in the other, twice in one arm and once in the stomach. It took 12 hours of surgery - one of the longest operations ever carried out in the Royal Victoria Hospital - to save her life but she still has one of the bullets lodged in her stomach. No one has ever been convicted of the shooting and Jemma still doesn't know why she was targeted. Police and politicians believe it was likely that loyalist paramilitaries were to blame. Five years on Jemma has made a full recovery, set up a successful business and won a Prince's Trust Award. Stephen asked her what she'd been doing before the shooting happened.

Also on the programme, a Conservative MP has called on the government to reintroduce the death penalty for people who commit violent crimes. John Hayes MP asked justice secretary David Gauke to consider the "potential merits". He said the option of capital punishment "should be available to the courts" in cases such as the Westminster Bridge attacker. Vinny got the views of Labour Party member Phil Kelly and commentator Charlie Wolf.

And Newtownards has recently been making headlines around the world for all the wrong reasons. Last weekend a gang of over eight people dressed up in Ku Klux Klan outfits were photographed holding their arms aloft with clenched fists, outside the same Islamic prayer centre in the town where a severed pig's head was left last year. What about the impact on the Muslim community here? Mayesha is a 21-year-old Muslim woman, she was born and raised in the Newtownards area. Mayesha wanted to share some of her experiences of growing up here.

1 hour, 27 minutes

Last on

Mon 5 Nov 2018 09:03

Broadcast

  • Mon 5 Nov 2018 09:03

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