now on bbc news, loan sharks and paramilitaries. in northern ireland's most impoverished housing estates, loan sharks, or unlicenced money lenders, are viewed by some as providing a service — instant cash without the paperwork. ah, don't you worry, all right. i will sort you out. i will get it to you next week — promise. as the cost of living crisis deepens, community workers warn more families are now turning

to paramilitary loan sharks. we've spoken to one woman still living in a loyalist estate, who we are calling jane. she was a victim of paramilitary money lenders. she agreed to speak to us anonymously. she is fearful for her safety. her words are spoken by an actor. i had no, um, close relatives, no support. a couple of close friends. uh, i was struggling. i didn't think there was any... as long as i paid the money back every week, there would be no hassle. a single mum on benefits, jane found even basic necessities hard to afford.

a friend said she knew people in the community who could help with a loan. how much money are we talking about? £50. i borrowed £50. and i was supposed to pay it back £10 a week. and on one of the weeks, i didn't pay it back in time, theyjust add another £10 onto it. so the billjust kept getting bigger and bigger. at first, jane says, she had no idea the money came from loyalist pa ramilitaries. clergyman, brian anderson, runs services to help people like jane, in loyalist communities — including those on benefits. people are struggling to make ends meet. i would notice particularly that the benefits that would've lasted a fortnight, is now only lasting

a week to ten days. and we will help them with food, with gas and electricity and we'll do all we can to provide places where you can come and be warm and spend time with us. but that's utter pressure. that's a mental pressure to live with day in, day out. within three weeks, jane says she was forced to hand over her benefits to the paramilitaries. they were there outside the post office waiting for me until i collected the money they then took the book and kept the book for the following week. the second timejane missed her weekly payment, she says the intimidation quickly escalated. the threat was delivered by her friend. they would deliver a message through her, who would say that money needs to be paid, or else. i never knew what �*or else�* totally

meant, but you were just left with that thought — �*or else�* meant they were coming to your house, and they would take something from the house or harm you. you live in the same communtiy as them so, they know, you know, when you go to work, what time you're back at, you can't hide from that. it's like something you see in a movie, absolute gangsterism. through her research, academic siobhan harding found women across northern ireland are being exploited by paramilitaries as both victims and messengers for money lenders. yeah, i mean, it's not solely men. there are women involved in it too, and i suppose i it's all about making connections

between people to find out - where they can go to get the money. they're able to access, you know, a couple of hundred quid and - they're able to access quickly, there's no forms to fill in, - there's no complicated - questions about, you know, existing debt you have, or your credit history. l you ask for the money, - and if you need it that night you'll get it that night. it is — it's that easy. jane says she reached the point where she felt there was no way out. there i was for weeks, months, repeating it week after week after week. terrifying. "i'm never gonna get out of this. "are they gonna come back and say, �*oh you still owe "�*another ten pound' 7 " because i had no control over it, i couldn't keep track of it, my mind was somewhere else. if you were identified, what do you think would happen to you? intimidated, or worse.

i'll have to leave the country, if i'm lucky. because i've came through it, and i know how intimidating it is. you're an asset to their business and they own you. they'll take what's theirs and not care what they leave behind. we have been told by security and community sources that paramilitary loan sharks are operating in all communities where there is poverty. but they say the problem is most widespread and acute in loyalist urban areas. they say that due to extreme fear, intimidation and a lack of trust in the police, there have been a tiny number of convictions. just two in recent years. since 2016 there have

been to my prosecution, one of them a suspended sentence, do you see that as a success? i, um, understand the, the figures, um, are not reflective of the problem. the prosecution figures are not reflective of the problem, um, that we face here in northern ireland. it is a difficult crime to investigate. i believe that it is significantly underreported. we are trying to progress investigations. we have four other prosecutions that have been reported to the pps. in fact, recently we've undertaken a proactive operation in, um, the mid and east antrim area, uh, including newtownabbey as well. according to jane, vulnerable women in her community are getting sucked into criminalisty in the run up to christmas because they are being forced to pay off loans using their own prescription drugs as well as cash. they're paying with their medication. as a part payment?

it's almost like, "well you've got a bit of an asset and we want it." prescription drugs, like sleeping tablets or anxiety medication? yeah. handing over prescription drugs, albeit to people who are demanding money, or there'll be consequences, it is a criminal offence. yeah, it's a criminal offence, but yeah, they are desperate. so how much of this do you want? last year, the stormont executive office launched a £200k public awareness campaign highlighting the impact of paramilitary money lenders. take this, we'll see how you get on. desperate victims have been coerced to break the law. right, you work for us now.

...to pay off spiralling debts. pay up, right. no more time, no more excuses. the tv ad campaign was part of a long—term £73 million programme. we will get what we are owed, one way or another. _ it was launched in 2016 to combat paramilitaries and associated criminalisty. a joint strategy with the police and hmrc. formerjustice minister, naomi long, led the programme until the executive folded. do you think progress has been made, has it been a good investment? i think it has been, i think there is still more work to do, i think that those part

of the which my department focused on were very much evidence—led, so we looked at the evidence base, we looked at the the things we could to to protect communities to build resilience within communities. community after community, many vulnerable women in particular, saying we are living in fear, we are trapped that doesn't sound like progress, that sounds like it is actually as bad as it has ever been always? what i'm saying is that there has been progress, i'm not saying that the situation is resolved. it is far from it, which is why the programme is still ongoing. and the fear that exists in communities is a still significant. we worked very closely with victims of this particular crime and it is an insidious crime, because the first of all it is accompanied by shame. what we wanted to do was in the work we do as a department,

to try to tackle those taboos and those shames so people were relieved of that burden. one man, we're calling allen, turned to loan sharks after a change in his circumstancess forced him to give up work. we have disguised his identity. universal credit has cut my payment by £300 universal credit has cut my payment by £300 per universal credit has cut my payment by £300 per month universal credit has cut my payment by £300 per month and universal credit has cut my payment by £300 per month and i universal credit has cut my payment by £300 per month and i stru- led by £300 per month and i struggled for a while, but i was getting deeper and deeper in debt. i was stressed out, i wasn't talking to anybody. i wasn't doing anything. i was stuck in the house, seven days per week, 2a hours a day. ifelt

totally embarrassed. i didn't want the family to know how low i'd gone. isolated from his loved ones, allen says a food bank became a life line. a place of refuge. just says a food bank became a life line. a place of refuge.— a place of refuge. just a community feelin: , a place of refuge. just a community feeling. there- _ a place of refuge. just a community feeling, there. they _ a place of refuge. just a community feeling, there. they looked - a place of refuge. just a community feeling, there. they looked after. feeling, there. they looked after you. they wrapped their arms around you. they wrapped their arms around you and said, come on, you are not the only one in this situation. allen is one of many thousands across northern ireland who used a food bank for the first time this year. the biggest food bank network here, the trussell trust, have 10,000 people in this situation. they handed out a record 32,000 food parcels here between april and september. after a visit to the food bank, allen had an unexpected call to his home. i

bank, allen had an unexpected call to his home-— to his home. i got a knock at the doon to his home. i got a knock at the door. i opened _ to his home. i got a knock at the door. i opened the _ to his home. i got a knock at the door. i opened the door, - to his home. i got a knock at the door. i opened the door, and - to his home. i got a knock at the i door. i opened the door, and there were these two young men. telling me things that they shouldn't have been able to tell me.— able to tell me. what do you mean? the knew able to tell me. what do you mean? they knew i — able to tell me. what do you mean? they knew i needed _ able to tell me. what do you mean? they knewl needed money. - able to tell me. what do you mean? they knew i needed money. they i able to tell me. what do you mean? i they knew i needed money. they knew i was struggling. and they knew when i was struggling. and they knew when i got paid by universal credit. they knew the dates of when i would be paid and they said they could help me out. i was desperate and i thought this was a life—saver. i thought this was a life—saver. i thought this was the best thing. here is £500, i can go and do a good shop. i could put the electricity on, and i can relax a bit. you go to your bank, go to anywhere else for a loan, it paperwork, paperthis, paperwork that. these boys had the cash in their hand. so

paperwork that. these boys had the cash in their hand.— cash in their hand. so how did the loan sharks _ cash in their hand. so how did the loan sharks know _ cash in their hand. so how did the loan sharks know that _ cash in their hand. so how did the loan sharks know that allen - cash in their hand. so how did the loan sharks know that allen was l cash in their hand. so how did the l loan sharks know that allen was so vulnerable? he's told us he recognised one of the men who came to his door. he was from his local food bank. he'd seen him sitting in a car watching outside as he and others queued to get help. an indication that loan sharks are deliberately targeting food bank users. it was at the food bank. he was users. it was at the food bank. he: was sitting outside the food bank. but i didn't pay any attention to it. ., ., , , , it. the head of the trussell trust in northern _ it. the head of the trussell trust in northern ireland _ it. the head of the trussell trust in northern ireland is _ it. the head of the trussell trust in northern ireland is johnny - in northern ireland isjohnny currie. like in the case of allen, he has noticed an alarming trend of illegal money lenders targeting food bank users. have you heard or have you any evidence or testimony of people who have been targeted by loan sharks who use your food banks?

a that is certainly something that food banks in _ a that is certainly something that food banks in our— a that is certainly something that food banks in our network- a that is certainly something that food banks in our network have i food banks in our network have reported — food banks in our network have reported back to us. folks that are referred _ reported back to us. folks that are referred to — reported back to us. folks that are referred to them have said that there _ referred to them have said that there is— referred to them have said that there is part of the legal system where _ there is part of the legal system where they are subject to that. subject— where they are subject to that. subject to paramilitary loan sharks? yes. parliamentary gangs, loan tracks, — yes. parliamentary gangs, loan tracks, whatever you want to call them, _ tracks, whatever you want to call them, they— tracks, whatever you want to call them, they are preying on people that are _ them, they are preying on people that are in — them, they are preying on people that are in crisis. these are small amounts — that are in crisis. these are small amounts of— that are in crisis. these are small amounts of money for a weekly shop or a round _ amounts of money for a weekly shop or a round of— amounts of money for a weekly shop or a round of groceries. it could be £50. _ or a round of groceries. it could be £50, it _ or a round of groceries. it could be £50, it could — or a round of groceries. it could be £50, it could be £100. small amounts of money— £50, it could be £100. small amounts of money that i really part of your essentiai— of money that i really part of your essential week to be able to get back _ essential week to be able to get back it — essential week to be able to get back. it requires a lot of bravery to go— back. it requires a lot of bravery to go to — back. it requires a lot of bravery to go to a — back. it requires a lot of bravery to go to a food bank. if there are people _ to go to a food bank. if there are people who are preying on people that you _ people who are preying on people that you really are reliant on that support, — that you really are reliant on that support, that is incredibly concerning for us. but support, that is incredibly concerning for us.- support, that is incredibly concerning for us. support, that is incredibly concerninuforus. �*, ., ., , concerning for us. but it's not only food banks — concerning for us. but it's not only food banks that _ concerning for us. but it's not only food banks that have _ concerning for us. but it's not only food banks that have been - concerning for us. but it's not only food banks that have been used i concerning for us. but it's not only food banks that have been used to identify targets for the loan

sharks. during the pandemic, many people struggling financially received free food parcels delivered by volunteers. according to several organisations and individuals we have spoken to, some volunteers in a number of loyalist areas turned out to be loan sharks in disguise. they came back and offered instant cash loans. we have been told some of them single parents and women are still desperately trying to repay. during lockdown, naomi long says food banks and churches alerted her to evidence of this. some of the people who receive deliveries then came back and said they had volunteers who came to offer help with the delivery of parcels and goods. but they had

returned later, with those addresses, which they had so they had identified he was vulnerable and offered them loans. so had identified he was vulnerable and offered them loans.— offered them loans. so they could use that as _ offered them loans. so they could use that as a _ offered them loans. so they could use that as a way _ offered them loans. so they could use that as a way of— offered them loans. so they could use that as a way of targeting. .. l offered them loans. so they could | use that as a way of targeting. .. a use that as a way of targeting... way of targeting people. use that as a way of targeting. .. a way of targeting people. a month | way of targeting people. a month after allen was _ way of targeting people. a month after allen was first _ way of targeting people. a month after allen was first offered - way of targeting people. a month after allen was first offered £500 j after allen was first offered £500 by loan sharks, they were back at his door demanding a £300 first payment on the debt that had now spiralled to £1300. they were at my house at 9 o'clock in the morning. i gave them the £300, because i was petrified. but when i handed that over he told me i owed them £1,300 because i had borrowed the money for a month. and they said it was the interest, so it was. so who can help?

prosecution of money lenders is extremely difficult, and there's little sign that the executive's attempts to tackle the problem is changing things. front line community groups we've spoken to in recent months say they feel like they're operating in a vacuum, and that means they have to step in to help victims in spiralling debt and fear of violence by mediating on their behalf with the paramilitaries. east belfast mission is dealing directly with victims of paramilitary loan sharks. we had a person who, their freezer broke down, and they didn't have the money to replace their fridge—freezer. and so they asked local paramilitaries, would they lend them money. to fix their freezer? to get a new one. so they borrowed £200. the £200, if it wasn't paid back within two weeks was going up with the interest rate as they would use it to £300. and that's the point they came to us.

that would have led up to a sum of money with interest being added week by week by week. and then they would have said, "ok, you can't pay us back. could you deliver this package from a to b," probably drugs. that's shocking. that they or one of their family would have had to have couriered drugs for loyalist paramilitaries in order to repay that debt. that's my understanding of how it works. it wasn't police action that resolved the debt. in this case it was intermediaries on the ground negotiating with the paramilitaries. we stepped in, and through intermediaries got it sorted, and the original sum of money was returned and the person got their freezer. what would happen if those people didn't act as intermediaries? they are going to end

up in criminalisty. what would you say to those people who would say there are no circumstances that would justify negotiating with paramilitaries, or those operating under the banner of paramilitaries? it's very easy to have your principle from a distance. but this is the practicalities, this is real life. so you can't abandon someone who has the risk of a criminal record only for wanting a freezer in their home. we're talking about the bare essentials of life. i believe we have to step in and be practicle about it. we have to help out. trusted intermediaries in the community have negotiated with the paramilitaries. what's your reaction to that and where is the police in all of this? it is really important that the community, um, engage with the police and help us identify those that are controlling, or seeking to control and exploit members of their own community. we will take robust action, we will investigate, where there is allegations

of threats, intimidation, violence. and we will robustly investigate those to try and protect our community and those within our community. what's clear from those we have spoken to is that in some communities paramilitaries still appear to have complete control over people's lives. feeling terrified, alan says he went to his food bank where he was advised to go to the police. the police came around, took a statement. they were going to follow it up with cctv in the area to see if they could see the car in the area. but before the police came back, alan says he was advised by friends that local paramilitaries were best placed to sort out his problem, particularly since the loan sharks had been identified as coming

from outside the community. he says he was told that intermediaries could speak with local paramilitiaries on his behalf. somebody was coming into their area that was lending money — not them. so basically this was the paramilitaries defending their patch? their patch, yes. it's their area, they control it, and somebody else had walked in and done this. i was told in no uncertain terms, "keep your effing mouth shut. "this is sorted. "you have to pay the £500." so i paid another £200. whenever you were told to shut your mouth and say nothing, what do you think would happen? would i be walking with a limp? would i have kneecaps, or even worse? they're making so much money out of it. that's the thing, that's the scary

part of it, so it is. shortly after his debt was sorted out, alan says a psni officer returned to his door to tell him police had accessed cctv footage and upped patrols in the area. i told her it's sorted. she wanted to know who'd sorted it. i said i've been told its sorted, and keep my mouth shut and not say anything. she said, "oh." she got up, she says, "thanks for everything. "i hope everything's sorted out." and away she went. they were willing to help, so they were, but it had been taken out of their hands by the paramilitaries. i can understand your victim's

concern for his safety and that of his family, and wanting to get the matter dealt with, but... and he did the right thing in reporting the matter to the police, absolutely. i would encourage anybody to come forward. but by engaging in that type of arrangement, what you are doing is perpetuating the coercive control that these paramilitary organised crime groups have on our community. you're allowing it to perpetuate, the problem. it's not as if the police didn't want to help. yeah. but the clear message from this case study is that people in that community didn't think that was an option. no, and that's part of the difficulty because you had someone there who was willing to go down that route, but then was directed towards an alternative route of resolution, which in the long run doesn't solve the problem. and i suppose i'm not sitting in judgment on the individual...

after months of living in fear, jane was finally able to escape her debt by selling family possessions. there's people being exploited. gonna cost more than money to fix this. it's costing people their lives, their homelife, their livelihood, everything. it's huge. hardship gives loan sharks an opening. fear is what lets them thrive. the cost of living crisis is already increasing desperation in many communities. hello there, today is the transition

day of the very cold weather which we have had for the past ten days to something a lot milder. it will be a slow process through the day, today, and is that milder air moves northwards with outbreaks of rain, we are likely to see a transient speu we are likely to see a transient spell of ice and snow. ice will be widespread across much of england and wales but we are most concerned about some significant icing across parts of northern england. that is likely to cause some very slippery roads and pavements and potentially some disruption to travel as well. you can see the milder we head into the evening, already across the south—west, it will take its time to push its way northwards, he'll snow, as well. we'll turn back to rain across the north pennines into the southern uplands, the grampians, and the highlands as we move through the night. that milder air will be across most areas. by the end of the night, it will be frost free for all areas. something we haven't seen quite a while. in fact, it's going to be very mild across the south but a windy and a rather white night to come for many of us. into monday we

start the new week with a big area of low pressure sitting across us, lots of isobars in the charts, these weather fronts will be enhancing rain. could be quite wet across southern southern and western areas of throughout the day, a blustery day for all, gales around some of the coast, could even see some low flooding across the whip link rain combining with snow and ice melt. an extremely mild day compared to what we are used to, temperatures up to 14—15 . a we are used to, temperatures up to 1a—15 . a huge we are used to, temperatures up to 14—15. a hugejump from the we are used to, temperatures up to 14—15. a huge jump from the last 24—hour is. then through tuesday, low pressure sitting towards the north—west of the uk, going to be on a blustery day, strongest of the wind in scotland and northern ireland, gales near the coast and frequent showers. whether frank could bring more cloud and rain to the far south—east otherwise not a bad afternoon, with some good vows of sunshine. mild in the south, little bit cooler further north. these temperatures are a little above the seasonal norm. as you move from tuesday to wednesday, area of low pressure affects the north of

the uk and then another area of low pressure pedals and full thursday. the upcoming week, the run—up to christmas, and settled with spells of wet and windy weather at times. it will be miles for the most part but as we head into the christmas weekend there is a chance of some colder air moving down from the south, how far south that moves, stay tuned.

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