Man murdered in ‘horrific’ attack in Belfast named

The victim of a “horrific” murder in a busy street in Belfast has been named locally as Ian Ogle.

The 45-year-old was seriously assaulted near Cluan Place on Sunday night, police said. Local representatives said he was highly regarded for his community work.

The crime scene is along a main arterial road into the city centre.

Ulster Unionist councillor Sonia Copeland said: “I was absolutely shocked to learn of the murder of Ian Ogle last night.

“I have known him for a number of years from involvement in work in and around Cluan Place and I know just how highly regarded he was by his local community and indeed much further afield.”

White boilersuit-clad police forensics officers searched the nearby Bridge Community Garden for clues, churning the soil using specialist equipment.

A line of Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) vehicles and officers protected the scene.

Small groups of people gathered on street corners to watch.

Ms Copeland said the victim was a devoted family man and father-of-two.

Detectives from the PSNI Serious Crime Branch launched a murder investigation.

DUP Belfast city councillor George Dorrian tweeted: “Horrific attack at Cluan Place.”

He added: “Horrible to think this should happen anywhere and no reason could ever justify what has happened in east Belfast.”

He said Mr Ogle was well-known and popular.

Mr Dorrian told the BBC: “It has been barbaric and the level of violence, the level that was used, was a disgrace.”

He added: “The focus at the minute has just been the level of violence, the level of what has occurred here, people just could not believe the sort of violence that was used upon this man.”

Detectives appealed for anyone with information who was in the area of Cluan Place, Albertbridge Road or Templemore Avenue between 9pm and 10pm on Sunday night to make contact.