Police investigating the murder of a County Antrim man who died in hospital after being badly beaten on Saturday night believe that he may have been killed because his attackers thought he was a Catholic. Trevor Lowry was a 49-year-old Protestant who came from Hightown Rise in Glengormley, on the outskirts of Belfast. The RUC have appealed for information about his movements prior to the attack. They say that Mr Lowry had been drinking at the Glen Inn in Glengormley from 4.30pm until 8.30pm on Saturday and was in another pub, Madigans, from 9.00pm until 11.00pm. He was found seriously injured shortly afterwards at Harmin Parade, behind Madigans. Police want to find out more about his movements that evening, in particular who he had been with.
Two other incidents in the area may have been connected to the murder, according to the RUC. Around the time that Mr Lowry was attacked, two young men were seen chasing an older man. Soon after the victim was found, a white Ford Escort car with three men aboard tried to abduct a man leaving Saint Enda's GAA Club on the Hightown Road in Glengormley, but they failed in the attempt and then tried to run him down. When a police patrol approached a similar car in Harmin Drive, close to the murder scene, three men quickly ran off. The vehicle was removed for forensic examination. While it has not been established that the car is connected to the incident at the GAA club or the murder, the RUC says that it cannot be ruled out and they are seeking information about its movements.
There have been a number of sectarian incidents in the Glengormley area in the past. In October 1993, the UVF shot dead Catholic man Sean Fox at his home at Harmin Park. He was President of St Enda's GAA club. Four years later, in December 1997, another former club official Gerry Devlin was shot dead by the LVF at the entrance to the clubhouse.
