Call for ‘united and determined’ action over gender violence following murders

Q Radio News/PA

Northern Ireland’s deputy First Minister has called for “unified and determined” action to tackle gender-based violence.

Michelle O’Neill was speaking days after Kenneth Flanagan, 26, murdered his mother Karen McClean, 50, and girlfriend Stacey Knell, 30, in separate knife attacks in Newtownabbey, Co Antrim on Friday night.

Flanagan then took his own life.

Floral tributes have been left to both women at the scenes.

Detective Chief Inspector John Caldwell described it as a “really shocking and horrific double murder of two women inside their own homes”.

“Both women were mothers and this appalling murder has left children facing a lifetime without their mums,” he said.

Ms Knell’s ex-partner Sam Lillie, who is the father of her child, has said he contacted social services and the PSNI earlier on Friday because of concerns about their young daughter.

“I had a gut feeling … all I wanted to do was raise a bit of concern about him being near my daughter because my daughter is my main priority."

He said social services would look into the matter on Monday, and told him to go to police.

“I was like, look this feeling is really making me sick, I don’t know what it is but something bad is going to happen, and I never knew it would have been this,” he added.

Karen McClean and Stacey Knell. Mother and girlfriend of Ken Flanagan.

The PSNI confirmed they received a report but said there was no evidence of immediate concern for the child’s safety.

The Belfast health and social care trust said it could not comment at this stage due to confidentiality issues and an ongoing police investigation.

Shock and condemnation was expressed across the Assembly chamber on Monday.

Local DUP MLA Paula Bradley said the two women “cannot be allowed to become yet another statistic”.

“We cannot wait for another mum, daughter, wife or girlfriend to die,” she told MLAs.