\n<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
The 45-year-old was beaten and stabbed a total of 11 times near his home in Cluan Place on 27 January 2019.<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
Two other men who pleaded guilty to murdering Mr Ogle in February 2024 were also sentenced at Belfast Crown Court.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
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.<\/p>\n
The judge, Mr Justice McFarland, described Mr Ogle’s killing as a “pre-planned murder” and a “revenge vigilante attack”.<\/p>\n
Three other men and a woman who previously admitted lesser offences connected to the murder were also sentenced at Belfast Crown Court.<\/p>\n
Christopher Haire, 55, from Killagan Bend in Belfast received a two year sentence, suspended for three years for assisting offenders.<\/p>\n
Jill Morrison, 42, from Wolff Close in Belfast and Thomas McCartney, 37, also from Wolff Close, admitted a charge of assisting offenders.<\/p>\n
Both received a 12-month prison sentence suspended for three years.<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
The judge said Mr Ogle’s murder was “a vicious attack lasting 30 seconds”.<\/p>\n
He added it was committed by five men against a single man and that two of the group had pre-armed themselves with weapons.<\/p>\n
He said Mr Ogle “fulfilled a patriarchal role, not only with his family, but with the community that associated with his family”.<\/p>\n
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”.<\/p>\n
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”.<\/p>\n
“It is distressing to think that such a large group of people could have been complicit in such an orchestrated, targeted crime.”<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n