Three men given 20-year jail terms over Ian Ogle murder

Three men convicted of the murder of Ian Ogle in east Belfast following a non-jury trial have been sentenced to a minimum of 20 years in prison.

The 45-year-old was beaten and stabbed a total of 11 times near his home in Cluan Place on 27 January 2019.

Walter Ervine, 43, from Litchfield Street in Belfast, 42-year-old Robert Spiers from Millars Park in Dundonald and Glenn Rainey, 38, whose address was given as Ballyhalbert Caravan Park were convicted of murder last November.

Two other men who pleaded guilty to murdering Mr Ogle in February 2024 were also sentenced at Belfast Crown Court.

Jonathan Brown, 39, from Whinney Hill in Dundonald and 46-year-old Mark Sewell of Glenmount Drive in Newtownabbey, were told they will serve a minimum of 17 and a half years before they can be considered for parole.

The judge, Mr Justice McFarland, described Mr Ogle's killing as a "pre-planned murder" and a "revenge vigilante attack".

Three other men and a woman who previously admitted lesser offences connected to the murder were also sentenced at Belfast Crown Court.

Christopher Haire, 55, from Killagan Bend in Belfast received a two year sentence, suspended for three years for assisting offenders.

Jill Morrison, 42, from Wolff Close in Belfast and Thomas McCartney, 37, also from Wolff Close, admitted a charge of assisting offenders.

Both received a 12-month prison sentence suspended for three years.

Reece Kirkwood, 27, from Belvoir Street in Belfast, who previously pleaded guilty to withholding information, was handed a two year sentence suspended for three years.

The judge said Mr Ogle's murder was "a vicious attack lasting 30 seconds".

He added it was committed by five men against a single man and that two of the group had pre-armed themselves with weapons.

He said Mr Ogle "fulfilled a patriarchal role, not only with his family, but with the community that associated with his family".

He told the court that Mr Ogle's "wife, daughter and son witnessed the horrific scene of their husband and father lying on the road".

Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) Det Insp Michelle Griffin said her thoughts were with the family of Mr Ogle and described his murder as "a senseless, brutal crime".

"It is distressing to think that such a large group of people could have been complicit in such an orchestrated, targeted crime."

Det Insp Griffin said Mr Ogle's murder had been "widely condemned by the local community, who remain disgusted by the actions" of those responsible.

The assistant director of the Public Prosecution Service (PPS), Martin Hardy, said that it had been a "complex case", adding that the PPS "recognise that the length of time it took to progress through court was understandably frustrating for Mr Ogle's loved ones".

"I hope that the conclusion of these proceedings is of some comfort to them as they attempt to continue without a much loved partner and father," he said.