Kircubbin shocked at murder of local man in England

12.00.00am BST (GMT +0100) Wed 7th Jul 2004

ALLIANCE councillor Alderman Kieran McCarthy MLA has said the community in Kircubbin has been shocked to learn of the murder of a local man in England.

Joseph Ennis from Kircubbin was stabbed to death at the weekend in Kent. After his sister visited him at the weekend, he left her to an airport on Sunday night. She was called on Monday morning with the news that Mr Ennis was stabbed to death on a roadway near his home.

Mr McCarthy stated: "Joseph left Kircubbin a number of years ago to live in Kent. His family is well known on the Ards peninsula, and the community has been shocked and saddened to learn of his untimely death.

"My sympathy is with the Ennis family, who are still waiting for the body to be brought back to Northern Ireland. This is a very difficult time for them, but I want them to know that people are thinking about them and their loss.

"I would hope that whoever committed this dastardly deed will be caught and brought before the courts, so that justice can be served. Sadly, the Ennis family's pain will last much longer than any jail term handed out."