MLAs react to double murder in Newtownabbey

By Q Radio News

MLAs have been reacting to the double murder-suicide which happened in Newtownabbey. 

Ken Flanagan stabbed his mum Karen McClean and then girlfriend Stacey Knell at separate properties on Friday night before taking his own life. 

It’s prompted further calls for a strategy to tackle gender-based violence with the justice minister expected to bring proposals tomorrow. 

Caral Ni Chuilin said two generations of a family - including a 9-year-old girl - are struggling to understand what happened as she called for action. 
 

The two women stabbed to death in Newtownabbey have been named locally as Karen McClean and Stacey Knell.

They were the mother and girlfriend of Ken Flanagan who's understood to have committed suicide after taking their lives. pic.twitter.com/DfrqSy1irQ

— Q Radio News (@qnewsdesk) March 21, 2021

Deputy First Minister Michelle O’Neill has called for unified and determined action from the Stormont Executive to tackle gender-based violence in Northern Ireland.

The Sinn Fein vice president said it was not good enough that Northern Ireland was only part of the UK without a specific strategy to address violence against women and girls.

Justice Minister Naomi Long has pledged to table a strategy in the coming days.

“We can’t stand still on this issue while women and girls are continuing to come to harm and to do so would be a dereliction of all of our duties in public office,” Ms O’Neill told the Assembly.

“I absolutely rightly agree the Executive must take unified and determined action to tackle the critical issue of gender-based violence. It needs to be progressed in the right way as a matter of urgency.”

Meanwhile in a statement from the PSNI earlier, Detective Chief Inspector John Caldwell said:

“I can confirm the identities of the two women who were murdered were Karen McClean, 50 and Stacey Knell who was 30 years old.

This was a really shocking and horrific double murder of two women inside their own homes. A place where they should have been safe.

My thoughts are very much with their families as they come to terms with their tragic loss. Both women were mothers and this appalling murder has left children facing a lifetime without their mums.

“Just after 10.55pm on Friday evening, police received a report of a stabbing at a residential property in the Derrycoole Way area. Officers attended, along with colleagues from NIAS and sadly, a woman was pronounced dead.

Officers then attended a residential property in the Glenville Road area where a second woman was found dead. An unconscious man was also found inside the property who subsequently died.

He was 26 year old Kenneth Flanagan. “I am not looking for anyone else in connection with the murders which I believe are connected.

"We would urge anyone with any information which may assist our investigation to contact 101 and quote reference number 2441 of 19/03/21.

A report can also be made online using the non-emergency reporting form via http://www.psni.police.uk/makeareport/. You can also contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111 or online at http://crimestoppers-uk.org/