a day ago
EXCLUSIVE Revealed: 'Boastful' Romanian wrongly arrested over 'sexual assault of girl' in Ballymena goes public to protest his innocence and says mob violence has caused his family to flee the country
A Romanian in Ballymena has claimed he has 'lost everything' and his family has been forced to flee abroad after he was wrongly arrested following the alleged attempted rape of a local schoolgirl.
The 28-year-old father-of-two named Alex said his home and car were attacked by anti-immigrant rioters while he was in custody and again a second time when he returned home after being released without charge.
Two 14-year old boys had earlier appeared in court charged with attempted rape, needing a Romanian interpreter to follow proceedings.
Alex claims his family have suffered 'indescribable threats' and 'humiliation' in the past week. He and his wife are in hiding while his mother has taken his two daughters to Romania because they are not safe in Ballymena.
But he has apologised after a series of boorish and defiant social media posts, including one where he blew kisses and waved money on camera. In another he appeared dismiss his Audi being destroyed by rioters.
On Monday night, following social media speculation, Alex has said he was arrested and questioned in relation to the Ballymena serious sexual assault. He was released unconditionally and without charge by the PSNI.
He said in a Facebook post, translated from Romanian: 'I have lost everything because of false accusations. I lost my house where I lived, my car, all my belongings. But the biggest regret is that I lost the chance to offer my children a better future. And all this without having done anything wrong.
'My family and I are not guilty, we all came for a better life, no one wants problems, we are modest people, people who fear God', he added.
Alex's Audi was destroyed on his drive and his home attacked twice
He has been criticised locally after a series of defiant social media posts since two Romanian teenagers were charged with the alleged sex attack.
He has apologised if he offended anyone in Northern Ireland but admitted he can be 'boastful' and likes to be 'centre of attention'. He also says he wants 'justice' for the schoolgirl allegedly attacked by the two teenagers, who deny the charge.
In one TikTok reel that emerged after riots began in Ballymena he was shown blowing kisses to the camera before waving a giant wodge of cash outside the town's courthouse following an unrelated matter involving a family member.
Critics claimed it was then shared by one of his relatives who made provocative comments.
In another social media message, after his Audi was attacked, Alex wrote in Romanian: 'Plenty more fish [in the sea]' over a picture of the smashed up luxury vehicle on his drive.
Alex has now publicly defended himself and his family, who he says are 'traumatised' and 'scared' by the riots and multiple attacks on his home.
He said: 'I admit I am "boastful". That is my character and I apologise if I upset anyone. It was not my intention'.
While he was in custody his home was attacked and his Audi car destroyed in the riots. After his release his house was attacked again, while he was inside, and he hid in the loft before escaping out the back of the house after smashing a hole in his roof.
In a Facebook post he also shared on local forums in Ballymena and Northern Ireland, Alex admitted he was the man arrested in relation to the alleged attempted rape of a schoolgirl that has sparked riots this week.
The Police Service of Northern Ireland said in a statement, not naming him: 'A 28-year-old man was arrested on Monday June 9. He has been unconditionally released from police custody following questioning'.
Describing what happened on Monday, the day of his arrest, he said: 'I learned on social media that there was speculation that I had sexually assaulted a minor.
'On Monday evening, my wife, my five-year-old daughter, and someone who helped us translate showed up at the hospital in Antrim because my daughter wasn't feeling well.
'While waiting, I was filmed against my will and posted on social media, and then a police team showed up and arrested me in front of my wife and daughter.
'I was wrongly accused of being the third person to accuse them of sexual activity with a minor. The police took me to Antrim police station. I was in custody for almost 24 hours'.
Alex's long statement on Facebook
On Tuesday he said his wife became 'scared' and 'sent my mother and the two little girls to the country (Romania) because they had threatened to break in and kill them'.
After he was released from police custody he said his house was attacked while he was inside.
'Shortly after I arrived at my home in Ballymena I heard knocking on doors and windows.
'Screams with indescribable threats. I got scared. I didn't know what was happening I wanted to leave my home but I couldn't I was surrounded by people.
'I climbed into the attic, I broke the roof and I came out through the back of the house and found a safe place'.
He went on: 'My wife and my little girls were traumatised, as well as the rest of the family.
'I was wrongly accused and the police did their job. If I did these acts I was accused of I would not be released'.
He added that he had video evidence that he was at home with his family all evening when the alleged attempted rape took place.
'I have been living in the UK since 2016 since then I have a job. I imagine what the parents of the girl who was abused is going through. I am also a parent of two girls and I can't imagine what I would have done to get justice.
He added: 'I apologise to everyone. I hope justice is done'.
Fifteen rioters have been arrested as 41 police officers were injured amid unrest in Northern Ireland following the alleged sexual assault of a girl by Romanian teens.
Rioting continued for the fourth consecutive night.
Terrified foreign nationals are now considering fleeing the province amid rioting in a bid to protect their families.
Maria, whose name has been changed to protect her identity, said: 'Why do they attack us? What did we do?'
The tearful Romanian, 38, added: 'I don't want to run, cause I did nothing bad...
'[But] when I go in the street people are looking at us very bad... they blame me... When they say go home, I say, home is here for me.'
Missiles were also thrown at officers after a protest in Portadown on Thursday, continuing a trend that was sparked earlier in the week in Ballymena.
Around 400 protestors are understood to have gathered in the County Armagh town where people were seen setting fires and causing damage to a derelict building.
Three teenagers also appeared in court yesterday in connection with recent riots.
Police and politicians have denounced the ongoing violence within the community, which has been dubbed 'racist thuggery'.
Northern Ireland's police chief said those being targeted 'are not criminals', noting their positive impact on society, describing them as 'valued members of society'.
However as tensions continue, in an unprecedented move, some households have begun to display British or Northern Irish flags in their windows.
Blanka Harnagea, who has lived with her family in the region for five years, said the flags served as a kind of 'protection' amid the unrest.
'We put (the flags) as a sign of peace... to say that we are not against them,' said the 38-year-old originally from the Czech Republic.
The mother-of-five, who is considering leaving, said: 'We are a bit worried they keep going on because some people said that they are not gonna stop until everybody who is not from Ireland has left.'
