THE mother of a Co Antrim schoolgirl murdered by Robert Black has said her "heart is with" the families of his other suspected victims after the convicted serial child killer took his secrets to the grave.
Scottish-born Black (68) died in Maghaberry jail yesterday. He was convicted of the murders of four young girls, including nine-year-old Jennifer Cardy from Co Antrim, and was linked to at least 10 other killings in Britain and Ireland and Europe.
Pat Cardy said last night: "My heart is with all those families. The killings of those little children bore the hallmarks of Robert Black".
Mrs Cardy, who was informed of Black's death yesterday, said she did not know how she felt about his passing.
"We really don't know how we are feeling and I don't think we'll be able to know that for some time to come," she said.
Jennifer was abducted as she cycled to a friend's house in the Co Antrim village of Ballinderry in 1981. Her body was found six days later, but her family had to wait 30 years to see Black convicted. Following the 2011 trial, her father Andy spoke of the horror of hearing about his daughter's final moments.
Mrs Cardy said she was disappointed that the families of Black's other suspected victims did not get justice. One of the children, 13-year-old Genette Tate, has never been found. She was last seen in a rural lane in Devon, in August 1978. Only the newspaper delivery girl's bike and papers were found.
Mrs Cardy said: "I am disappointed for the Tate family not having, what we did have - a trial - to see that man Robert Black having a unanimous guilty verdict which was deserved".
She said she was grateful for her close family, husband Andy and children Mark, Philip and Victoria.
Black was convicted of abducting, abusing and murdering four young girls: Jennifer Cardy; Sarah Harper (10) from England; Susan Maxwell (11) and five-year-old Caroline Hogg both from Scotland.
He was also named as a suspect in the unsolved disappearance of Donegal girl Mary Boyle who vanished 39 years ago, aged six.
