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Paddy Barnes Belfast fight policing cost public £25,000

Paddy Barnes and Stefan Slavchev in action the Titanic Exhibition Centre boxing event in Belfast last year
Paddy Barnes and Stefan Slavchev in action the Titanic Exhibition Centre boxing event in Belfast last year Paddy Barnes and Stefan Slavchev in action the Titanic Exhibition Centre boxing event in Belfast last year

THE heavy police presence at Paddy Barnes's professional boxing debut, over fears of a gangland feud escalating, cost taxpayers almost £25,000.

The PSNI confirmed the cost yesterday after The Irish News revealed police dropped plans to bill the event's organisers for the policing operation.

A significant police presence was seen at the Titanic Exhibition Centre in November amid fears of a bloody Dublin gangland feud coming north.

Double Olympic medallist Barnes last year signed a professional contract with gym MGM Marbella, which is linked to the notorious Kinahan family.

Police were said to have been tipped off that gunmen could try to target Daniel Kinahan during the boxing event.

He is believed to have been the intended target of an attack on Dublin's Regency Hotel last February when another man was shot dead at a boxing weigh-in.

The Kinahans have been embroiled since 2015 in a feud with the Hutch family that has claimed multiple lives.

In November the PSNI said the event's promoters would be billed for "special policing services", but refused to say how much.

However, in response to a freedom of information request police said organisers would not be billed.

Yesterday the PSNI confirmed £24,580.87 was spent on the policing operation, but promoters will not be asked to contribute to the cost.

Mr Kirkpatrick said police originally intended to bill organisers, but it was "inappropriate" to seek costs after the policing plan changed due to "potential criminal activity outside the event".

The fight night was billed as a 'homecoming' and featured some of Belfast's best known boxers including Jamie Conlan, brother of Olympic medalist Michael.

Barnes (29) won his bout after he was lifted off the ground by Bulgarian opponent Stefan Slavchev, forcing his disqualification.

Last year Barnes said he had "no hesitation" in signing the contract to join MGM.

"I've obviously seen things in the papers and whatever but I don't concern myself with all that. I want to concentrate on the sport and that's it," he said.

In 2015 police published their policy on charging for operations deemed over and above core policing services.

The guidelines followed criticism of police for waiving most of their bill for boxer Carl Frampton's world title fight in 2014, charging organisers just £5,000 out of a full cost of almost £36,000.