This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It will not be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/northern_ireland/7078554.stm
The article has changed 5 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
Version 0 | Version 1 |
---|---|
Loyalist drug dealer 'untouched' | Loyalist drug dealer 'untouched' |
(20 minutes later) | |
A leading loyalist is being blamed for supplying drugs to a north Belfast teenager who later killed himself. | A leading loyalist is being blamed for supplying drugs to a north Belfast teenager who later killed himself. |
Dean Clarke, 16, from the Tigers Bay area, hanged himself days after taking a large number of horse tranquilisers. | Dean Clarke, 16, from the Tigers Bay area, hanged himself days after taking a large number of horse tranquilisers. |
Presbyterian minister Reverend Robert Beckett said there was a lot of fear in the community as the loyalist paramilitary "remained untouched". | Presbyterian minister Reverend Robert Beckett said there was a lot of fear in the community as the loyalist paramilitary "remained untouched". |
He said though he understood the restrictions faced by the PSNI, police were not active enough in the area. | He said though he understood the restrictions faced by the PSNI, police were not active enough in the area. |
"There are folks in the area who are making huge amounts of money selling drugs," he said. "Most people know who they are. | "There are folks in the area who are making huge amounts of money selling drugs," he said. "Most people know who they are. |
The rumours are that this fellow has hundreds more of these tablets to provide to other people. Reverend Robert Beckett | The rumours are that this fellow has hundreds more of these tablets to provide to other people. Reverend Robert Beckett |
"While there have been a number of drug dealers put out of the area in recent days - for cases that are unrelated to the Clarke incident - the major drug dealer, who is supposed to be a leading figure in loyalist circles, remains untouched. | |
"Nothing goes on in Tiger's Bay without the paramilitaries both knowing it and approving it." | "Nothing goes on in Tiger's Bay without the paramilitaries both knowing it and approving it." |
Dean Clarke spent almost a week in intensive care after taking the overdose. He was found hanged in the early hours of Saturday. | Dean Clarke spent almost a week in intensive care after taking the overdose. He was found hanged in the early hours of Saturday. |
Women in the area demonstrated against drug dealers on Sunday and the teenager's mother has called for drugs and dealers to be taken off the streets. | |
Some people say a UDA figure is behind drug dealing | |
Reverend Beckett said: "There is a lot of fear in the community. | Reverend Beckett said: "There is a lot of fear in the community. |
"The reality is this young lad is dead. If it is true that this is the man who sold him these drugs, horse tranquilisers, to a young lad who just turned 16... | "The reality is this young lad is dead. If it is true that this is the man who sold him these drugs, horse tranquilisers, to a young lad who just turned 16... |
"The rumours are that this fellow has hundreds more of these tablets to provide to other people. | "The rumours are that this fellow has hundreds more of these tablets to provide to other people. |
"Is it not related to the death of this young fellow? Should this man not be charged with manslaughter?" | "Is it not related to the death of this young fellow? Should this man not be charged with manslaughter?" |
Frankie Gallagher of the Ulster Political Research Group, the political wing of the Ulster Defence Association, told BBC News the drugs problem in north Belfast was "widespread". | |
He said their goal was to take all drug dealers off the streets. | |
Mr Gallagher added that a number of meetings were being held over the issue. |