Northern Ireland

Man charged with murder as police urge public not to share footage linked to killing of Ryan McNab

Murder victim Ryan McNab
Murder victim Ryan McNab Murder victim Ryan McNab

The family of a murder victim has urged members of the public not to share footage from the scene.

A PSNI investigation was launched after north Belfast man Ryan McNab (31) died from injuries at Barna Square in the Rathcoole area of Newtownabbey on Friday evening.

The cause of death has not been made public.

Police charged a 24-year-old man with the murder last night. He is expected to appear before Belfast Magistrates’ Court on Monday.

Mr McNab's family has appealed for people not to share any footage or images linked to his killing.

They described him as "a loving son, brother and daddy and a Glentoran and Liverpool fanatic".

"We are all totally devastated by the loss of Ryan," they said in a statement.

"We will miss him so much, especially his beautiful little girl Ryleigh".

Police also issued an appeal after footage of the murder scene was circulated.

Detective Chief Inspector Anthony Kelly said: "I will add that we are aware of footage from the scene circulating and would ask people not to share this out of respect for the family."

It has been reported that other footage circulated shows the arrest of a man at the apartment block where the murder took place.

SDLP councillor Noreen McClelland said her thoughts are with the family and friends of Mr McNab.

"It is never easy to lose a loved one but these are particularly difficult circumstances given Ryan's life was taken from him and he was a young man with many years ahead of him," she said.

"This incident has caused serious concern within the local community and I would urge anyone with information to come forward to police as soon as possible and to show sensitivity and to support Ryan's family as they deal with their grief."

Friday's murder is the latest in a series to rock the Rathcoole area.

Last March Karen McClean (50) was stabbed to death at Derrycoole Way in the estate by her son Ken Flanagan.

He then travelled to a nearby property and killed his girlfriend Stacey Knell before taking his own life.

Earlier this year Roy Reynolds (54) was said to have suffered "barbaric injuries" after his body was discovered in a reservoir several miles away in Carrickfergus.

It later emerged in court that police had received a report of a body being dragged from a house at Derrycoole Way in Rathcoole to a car.