By Anthony Neeson
The Police Service of Northern Ireland is facing mounting pressure after the brutal murder of a West Belfast father-of-eight outside one of their stations.
58-year-old Seamus Fox died after being attacked outside Woodbourne police station in the early hours of Thursday morning. Stunned neighbors have been left asking how can someone be murdered outside a police station without the knowledge of those inside.
On Sunday, Gerry Adams, who is the local MP, met with senior police chiefs in Woodbourne station. He emerged afterwards and said: “I am deeply concerned at the fact that Seamus Fox was killed within the proximity of a barracks with Close circuit television.
“I’m not satisfied there has been a proper application of police resources to deal with the underlying problems that end up with these young anti-social elements actually killing citizens.
“There was a report made of a fire, and about a small gathering of anti-social elements on the bridge hours before Seamus Fox was killed and I have yet to be given a satisfactory explanation why there wasn’t an intervention made.”
The SDLP’s Alex Attwood also said the police had questions to answer.
“I have spoken to the police area commander as they too have questions to answer,” he said. “We need to know what the police saw on station cameras and what action they took.”
Fox died after being battered about the head and face as he made his way home from a night out. The attack happened as he made his way past the Woodbourne PSNI station. He was found by passersby who alerted police.
An 18-year-old appeared in court on Saturday charged with his murder. Gerard Connor from Glenveagh Drive in the Lenadoon area of the city appeared at Belfast Magistrates Court. His solicitor said that Connor strenuously denied the charge.
