Women released after car crash

The scene of the accident which left a man in hospital

The three women arrested after a man was hit by a stolen car in west Belfast have been released by the police.

The man, who is his 60s, is in hospital with serious head and leg injuries following the incident.

He had been walking home from a bar early on Wednesday morning along the Falls Road near Dunville Park.

The stolen car swerved to avoid a police checkpoint, mounted the footpath and struck him.

The vehicle, which is believed to be a Peugeot, was abandoned after the incident in nearby La Salle Mews and the occupants ran off.

There's been a massive increase over the past six or seven months in joyriding as evidenced by the instances of death and injury

Jimmy Quinn

The victim was taken to the Royal Victoria Hospital where he is said to be in a stable condition.

Social Democratic and Labour Party councillor Margaret Walsh said such incidents were on the increase.

"Young people seem to have it in their heads that they can steal someone's car and go away with it and do what they want," she said.

"And it doesn't matter who they hurt, or who they injure, but the family is left to pick the pieces up."

Margaret Walsh: Family left to pick up pieces

Jimmy Quinn of the Youth at Risk group, which works with people who have convictions for stealing cars, said there was an "upward trend" in so-called joyriding.

"There's been a massive increase over the past six or seven months in joyriding, as evidenced by the instances of death and injury," he said.

"The view needs to be taken that it is everyone's problem. It is the communities that are suffering.

"The statutory agencies who are charged with dealing with this type of offence need, in general, to be working in conjunction with the local communities to bring about appropriate projects which will deal with this."

He said a number of factors could lead to such offending, including low self-esteem, low chances of employment and low educational attainment.