The home of a west Belfast couple repeatedly targeted by suspected dissident republicans was once again attacked last night.

The Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service was called to the property on Dermott Hill Parade at 1.57am on Thursday morning after reports of a fire. The attack comes after bizarre footage of a previous attack on the house emerged showing a man dressed as Santa shooting at it.

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The fire was in the ground floor of the semi-detached property.

Firefighters wearing breathing apparatus extinguished the fire and dealt with the incident by 2.55am. The Fire Service said the blaze appears to have been started deliberately.

Expand Close Police said the ground floor of the property has been completed gutted. Credit: Pacemaker. / Facebook

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Whatsapp Police said the ground floor of the property has been completed gutted. Credit: Pacemaker.

Detective Sergeant McPhillips said: “The ground floor of the house was completely gutted in the blaze although fortunately no-one was in the property at the time of the incident.

"The house next door was filled with smoke and a number of people who were inside at the time were brought to safety.

“We are treating this fire as arson and believe it may be linked to criminal damage at the same address on 1 January, in which a number of windows were smashed.

"We are also investigating a possible link to a shooting incident at residential premises in the Upper Springfield road area, which was reported to police on Tuesday.

“Everyone has a right to live in a safe and stable community and this type of senseless and reckless criminality will not be tolerated. Those living in the local area who have any information should bring it to police immediately so that we can bring the perpetrators to justice.

“I would appeal to anyone who has any information about these incidents or saw any suspicious activity in the Dermott Hill Parade area in the early hours of this morning, to get in touch with detectives on 101, quoting reference number 97 of 3/1/19.”

George Richmond (59) and his wife Geraldine (57) said earlier this week they have been left with no option but to leave their home of 30 years following a string of attacks at the property.

Expand Close Police at the scene of an overnight arson attack on the Richmond family home in Dermott Hill Parade, west Belfast on January 3rd 2019 (Photo by Kevin Scott for Belfast Telegraph) Kevin Scott / Belfast Telegraph / Facebook

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Whatsapp Police at the scene of an overnight arson attack on the Richmond family home in Dermott Hill Parade, west Belfast on January 3rd 2019 (Photo by Kevin Scott for Belfast Telegraph)

The house was targeted on Monday night, with a CCTV camera smashed using a sledgehammer along with all the downstairs windows and door panes, causing thousands of pounds worth of damage.

On December 20, 12 shots were fired at the property by a man wearing a Santa suit, which followed an earlier gun attack on September 17.

The Belfast Telegraph has obtained CCTV footage of the attack, which shows a man in a Santa suit stopping outside the property before brandishing two handguns and shooting at the house.

Expand Close Georgina Richmond's apartment on the upper Springfield Road that had shots fired at it on New Years eve. Picture: Pacemaker / Facebook

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Whatsapp Georgina Richmond's apartment on the upper Springfield Road that had shots fired at it on New Years eve. Picture: Pacemaker

The nearby home of their daughter Georgina (33), a former contestant on the TV show The Voice of Ireland, was also targeted this week.

Shots were fired at the front of her third-floor apartment on the Upper Springfield Road area during the early hours of Tuesday.

Neither Ms Richmond or her 10-year-old daughter were in the property at the time.

Expand Close George Richmond outside his house which was attacked / Facebook

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Whatsapp George Richmond outside his house which was attacked

Belfast Telegraph