Mother speaks out in disgust at ‘sectarian’ attack on 15-year-old boy in loyalist north Belfast

Clare Maguire told the News Letter that the incident, which left son Flynn covered in blood from a head wound, was “just something that shouldn’t happen in this day and age”.

She says that the St Malachy’s pupil had been cycling home from Jordanstown seafront to his north Belfast home at about 8.45pm on Sunday when he was accosted by a group in the Limestone Road part of Tiger’s Bay – a heavily loyalist district close to a republican interface.

She said Flynn was asked by the group where he lived and what his name was – and that these seemed to be attempts to uncover his religion.

Flynn went to cycle away but Mrs Maguire said a man (aged in his late 20s or early 30s) with a Boxer dog on a chain knocked him off his bike, allowing the gang of up to a dozen or so youths to catch up, beat him, and steal his phone and his bicycle.

While Mrs Maguire said Flynn did not answer questions about who he was or where he was going, the fact he was cycling up the Limestone Road (towards the Catholic-dominated Duncairn district) would have fuelled the mob’s suspicions.

Mrs Maguire, a single mother of four, said he had run about three miles to get to a friend’s house and safety.

Mrs Maguire said one of the group did not join the attack, and afterwards asked Flynn if he was alright – showing “there was one of them with a conscience”.

She said: “They were obviously trying to find out what religion he was. He wasn’t about to turn around and say ‘Flynn Maguire’ because that’s obvious, so he tried to get away from them.

“This is disgusting, appalling, out of order. It’s just something that shouldn’t happen in this day and age.

“Kids should be able to go out wherever they want.”

An online appeal to get £500 to replace the bike and phone far exeeded its target, and was approaching £1,000 at time of writing last night.

The PSNI said: “The police investigation into this appalling attack is ongoing. Officers continue to ask witnesses or those with information to contact police on 101, quoting reference 1835 10/05/20.”

A message from the Editor:

Thank you for reading this story on our website. While I have your attention, I also have an important request to make of you.

With the coronavirus lockdown having a major impact on many of our advertisers - and consequently the revenue we receive - we are more reliant than ever on you taking out a digital subscription.

Subscribe to newsletter.co.uk and enjoy unlimited access to the best Northern Ireland and UK news and information online and on our app. With a digital subscription, you can read more than 5 articles, see fewer ads, enjoy faster load times, and get access to exclusive newsletters and content. Visit https://www.newsletter.co.uk/subscriptions now to sign up.

Our journalism costs money and we rely on advertising, print and digital revenues to help to support them. By supporting us, we are able to support you in providing trusted, fact-checked content for this website.

Alistair Bushe

Editor