Police have opened a murder investigation after an elderly man was found dead in Newcastle, Co Down.
The Police Service of Northern Ireland received a report on Sunday at 10.30pm that a body had been outside a property in the Slievenabrock Avenue area of the seaside town.
He has been named as Sean Small, aged 84, who was from the town. He was previously jailed for three years for sexually assaulting a teenage girl and a woman on various dates between 2016 and 2018.
“Waking up to this news is sure to have caused distress that this has happened in such a close-knit residential area of Newcastle,” said Chief Insp Adam Ruston of Newry, Mourne and Down.
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“However, I want to provide reassurance that we are working at pace to investigate the circumstances of this murder and we will be relentless in our pursuit of the perpetrators and in securing justice. Locals and visitors to Newcastle over this bank holiday and later in the week will notice more of our officers on the ground and on patrol as we work on this investigation.”
PSNI detective chief inspector Kerrie Foreman appealed to anyone with information which could assist in the investigation to contact them.
Slievenabrock is located in a quiet residential part of Newcastle.
South Down DUP MLA Diane Forsythe said many elderly people live on the street, which was a “very peaceful part” of the tourist town and Mourne mountain area.
“There is just a real sense of deep, deep shock,” she said.
SDLP South Down MLA Colin McGrath said the community was stunned by the death.
“For such a violent death to occur in Newcastle will understandably cause concern and I would ask people to avoid speculation and to remain calm,” he said.
“It is vital that ... anyone who can assist should come forward without delay.”
Sinn Féin Cllr for Newry Willie Clarke offered his condolences to the family, saying it was a “heartbreaking” situation.
“This local, tight-knit community are in shock that a murder investigation is now under way,” he said.
