19/04/2016 BBC Newsline

A vigil has been held in north Belfast for the father of four

He died after being shot several times in the leg

His widow told the gathering that the community needed to stay strong.

Michael's children are too young to understand what the vigil was all

about but his heart working wife thanked the hundreds who turned out

to support them. We will all stay strong and stop these people,

because we are stronger than them and they cannot beat us. It is not

fair that the family should have to go through this. They are not judge

and jury, I just pray to God and I hope there is watching over wherever

we may go. They did in the arms of his wife

when -- after being shot three times. The priest who organised the

vigil had this message for the killers.

The courage of Joanne will never be forgotten. Always be remembered.

When the faceless perpetrators are long forgotten. Her act of love, as

she cradled, comforted, and absorbed Michael, will always be a memory

that sticks in our hearts and minds. I shop.

At least we came out tonight to show our support, which was could.

-- I am shocked. Amongst those gathered to make there

is a sense of anger that a woman has been widowed and young children will

grow up without a father. A 25 year old man shot

in the legs in Londonderry last night is in a stable

condition in hospital. It has emerged that he is

facing drugs charges. His barrister told a court today

that since the attack he had not Here's our North-west reporter

Keiron Tourish. Forensic officers spent part of the

morning following up after last night's shooting, a trail of that

was still evident in the aftermath of the attack. It took place in a

relatively new development in the Creggan estate. Harry Boyd was shot

twice in the right leg. He was taken to hospital before being transferred

to the Royal Victoria. One pensioner said the incident caused a great

deal of upset. I did not know if it was up or down

the street, the police came, and whatever. It is very traumatic, I am

annoyed about it. The pain is real. Very upset.

The parish priest said there was no justification for the attack which

he cold barbaric in its nature. No humid being deserves to be

treated like this. Every humid being has dignity. The dignity of this man

was violated, and they violate their own dignity by doing it also.

Locals said it had no place in society.

Terrible shock. No necessity for it in this day and age. We are trying

to move forward. It worries me for the grandchildren,

that they have to grow up in this atmosphere.

The district police commander said that while detectives were still

investigating the motive the focus was on violent dissident

republicans. It is reprehensible in this day and

age that society would tolerate this brutal attack for some perceived

misdemeanour. They have no legitimacy, they have no right to

carry out attacks of this nature and members of the community.

It emerged that a case involving the victim was due for a hearing today

at the Magistrate Court, involving a number of alleged drugs offences.

His barrister told the court that since the shooting he believed the

victim had now regained consciousness. Detectives

investigating have appealed for information from anybody who noticed

any suspicious activity in or around this area, to get in touch.

A man has been jailed for six months for shining a laser

A judge told Alan Armstrong, from Greenisland, that his

actions could have caused the aircraft to crash.

The helicopter was sent into the night sky last September to provide

aerial systems for a police operation tracking a stolen car, a

green laser was shone directly at the helicopter, flying at 2500 feet.

This is a separate example of a laser during street disorder in the

past. In the night in question it happened at least five times and on

one occasion was continuously aimed at the helicopter for about 30

seconds. The court heard that caused the cockpit to be illuminated and

the pilot could not see the instrument. The location from where

the laser was Sean was identified as here, Alun Armstrong, a father of

three, was arrested, and a laser pointer was found in his home. A

defence barrister told the court that Armstrong did it because the

helicopter was annoying him by flying over his house. Handing down

a six-month sentence the judge said that actions which could have

resulted in a pilot crashing in a heavily populated area were serious

and warranted a prison sentence. That use of lasers on aircraft will

be discussed on good morning Ulster tomorrow morning, that starts at

6:30am. The Attorney General has asked

the Public Prosecution Service to review its decision not

to prosecute any police officers Colum Marks was killed

in Downpatrick in 1991. It's claimed he wasn't carrying

a gun when the RUC opened fire. His family wants an inquest

and a full review of the circumstances

surrounding his death. Smoke from a fire near the centre

of Belfast could be seen It's believed tyres

were on fire at a premises Belfast city council says it has

been inundated with requests to deal with rats and that ratepayers

are having to wait It is the only local council that

offers the service free of charge. Last week our reporter David Maxwell

visited a house in south Belfast where 18 rats were caught

in just a few days. This week he's been out with

the council's pest control team. Rats in a loft. Clever and

adaptable. But they also carry disease. They will find their way in

through the cavity. They carry disease. We don't want them there,

we want them down in the sewers where they tend to live and we try

to keep down the population. This is the front line, pest control

officers using smoke bombs to test for damage to sewers that could

allow rats to escape. They also put poison down where they find evidence

of rats in the area. I am told this is a tell-tale sign that there are

rats in the alleyway. The door has been chewed, that is rats trying to

get into the property. This past year our complaints have gone up by

about 200 from the previous year. It is nothing to do with anything, just

mother nature. We had a mild winter, that would not have helped in

controlling a rodent population. The council says that increased call

outs are also down to changes in council boundaries. In urban areas

rat populations are largely controlled by humans. And

environmental factors. But without these controls it would be possible

for a single pair of rats today to increase to a population of 100

within four months. 1000, within eight months. Within a year, you

could have a population of 2000. In short, they are survivors.

They have an ability to learn quickly. They are very wary about

taking bait. Only a proportion of their population take poison bait.

One thing they will not avoid is the plentiful waste food discarded on

the street. The council says residents also have a role to play

in reducing numbers. Turning to sport now

and Crusaders have won the Danskebank Premiership title,

after a 3-1 win The Seaview club knew

going into tonight, three points would wrap up the championship

and they didn't disappoint. There is something Crusaders had

never achieved until tonight, retaining the Irish premiership.

They have been the best team all season and it was reflected at the

home of their neighbours. From start to finish tonight they were the

better team. In the first half, a sigh of relief from their supporters

as Gavin White made it 1-0. Stephen Baxter's team continued their

dominance after the break, Paul he Paul Heatley evading the defence,

Crusaders injuring land, and it was the same for the supporters.

Following that he was again put through on goal and scored his

second, Crusaders third, and despite a consolation goal, the night

belonged to the champions. Unbelievable. I'm speechless.

Something I have wanted to do since I was a boy. It is absolutely

fantastic. Overall we were the better team. And the best team of

the season. The UFC World Champion

Conor McGregor shocked and confused his many fans tonight

with a message on social The Dubliner posted "I have decided

to retire young." It's unclear if the fighter,

who is renowned as a showman, is serious

about the statement. McGregor was unbeaten in the UFC

until earlier this year It ended up a pretty splendid day

for many, particularly through the afternoon as the cloud cleared away

from the West. With clearing skies it means it will be a cold night

tonight. Even towns dropping to three Celsius. We expect some frost

around tomorrow morning, the odd patch of mist and fog as well.

Essentially it is a fine and dry day coming up. Where there was cloud

today you will see more sunshine tomorrow. Despite a chilly start it

will be crisp, lovely morning spring sunshine. We will see dry and sunny

weather across much of Britain and Ireland tomorrow. The exception is

part of northern and western Scotland. A few showers, quite easy

towards the south-west, temperatures inland are decent, his temperatures

through central England and what parts of Wales, 15, 16 Celsius.

Northern Ireland, in the afternoon, Fairweather cloud, staying dry with

decent spells of sunshine. Maybe cool on the coast where the breeze

comes in from the sea. Inland we could see highs of 15 Celsius in the

West or Southwest. High pressure still in charge through the rest of

the week. Later we bring in cold air from the north, it will turn chilly

from Friday and into the weekend, until then, fairly decent.