County Derry Post

Animal protection chiefs have slammed sickos who skinned a sheep and cut the head off a cow in north Derry.

  By Connla Young 

Connla@derrypost.com

Picturesque Banagher Forest looked more like a scene from a slaughter house this week after up to a dozen dead lambs were dumped at a road side.

The sickening scene was compounded by a skinned ewe which was left to rot at the roadside along with the other animals.

Some of the dead lambs appeared to have hideous defects including multiple limbs and deformed heads.

The unfortunate ewe appears to have been gutted before it was abandoned with its insides clearly visible.

 It is not known how the animal died or if it was alive before having its skin stripped from its flesh.

It is understood a tag left on one of the sheep could be used to identify the owner.

Several miles away on the scenic slopes of Benbradagh walkers were horrified to find a cow’s severed thrown into a small drain at the side of the road.

The decapitated cow appears to have been shot twice in the head.

David Wilson from the Ulster Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals slammed those behind both incidents.

“We would encourage the public that if they see anything suspicious to talk to us, the police or anyone in authority and get this sort of thing stopped. You would come across dumped animals from time to time but to skin a sheep, I don’t know why anybody would do anything like that, I can’t work that out.

 “One of the problems in relation to the dumping of the animals is that the law on the disposal has been tightened up a bit and there’s a cost involved in disposing of remains and that’s why more animals are being dumped.” 

A Good Samaritan taxi driver has been left shaken after he was conned out of £350 by a client posing as a business man for Marks and Spencers. 

By Orla McNicholl

orla@derrypost.com 

 Chris O’Neill, who owns his own taxi business was conned after a man contacted him to book his taxi before managing to pocket £350 from the Maghera man and making his escape.Mr O’Neill said: “I received a phone call on Monday night from a man claiming to be Paul from Marks and Spencers, he said he wanted me to lift his colleague at the airport on Wednesday and take him to Walsh’s Hotel where he would be staying. ”He took details of my car and said he would see me at the airport.”Chris picked up the man at the International airport on Wednesday, who he believes to be from Belfast and in his late forties or early fifties.“He asked me to take him to Belfast first as he had to pick up packages in some shops. The third shop that I took him to, he said he had to pick up money, but came out empty handed.”The bent crook asked Chris to lend him money and promised to pay him double when he got back to Maghera.“He asked me for £200 and when I opened my wallet, he seen I had more money so he hit me for another £150. I had £400 in my wallet which I was planning to get changed to Euros as I was going on holidays.”

It only came to light that Chris was conned when the man got out of the car and Chris realised he wasn’t operating alone: “I saw three guys standing in the area and I believe they were his accomplices who had been following me through Belfast.  I realised then that I had been conned. ”When the man got out of the car, he kept holding the side of his coat and I believe that he had a gun.”Chris believes this man is operating in the area trying to con other taxi drivers, he said: “I understand this man has been trying to con others, I believe another taxi driver in Magherafelt received a similar phone call where he was asked to take a client from the airport to the Terrace Hotel in Magherafelt.

Blues brothers set for Spires clash Magherafelt Sky Blues is gearing up for one of the biggest days in its history when the club lines out against Irish league champions Linfield in June.

By Connla Young

connla@derrypost.com

The Intermediate League side has managed to pull off a major coup by coaxing the Windsor Park side to visit Magherafelt as part of their packed pre season schedule.And, if as expected Linfield clinch the Irish League title this year the Gibson Cup will be on display at Spires Park come June.

A date for the game has not yet been fixed but Linfield have confirmed a game will go ahead. The high-profile fixture is sure to be a money spinner for the south Derry club as it continues to develop its facilities at Spires Park.

Despite the ground being situated close to an interface local councillors say they believe the game will pass off without incident. ”From a sporting point of view this game will be a big advantage to the town,” said DUP councillor Anne Forde.

“It’s great to have a highly recognised team coming to the town and we should look at it from a sporting point of view.”

Sky Blues officials were staying tight lipped about the game when contacted last night. However, the County Derry Post has learned that the club has already informed Magherafelt District Council that the game is set to go ahead.

A spokesman for Linfield FC said: “We have agreed in principal to travel to Magherafelt Sky Blues in pre-season but no firm date has been confirmed yet. Hopefully a date will be agreed at the end of April.” 

 Bosses at a doomed County Derry have written an open letter to the minister for education Caitriona Ruane.

By Connla Young

connla@derrypost.com

The axe will fall at Maghera High School next summer after education chiefs at the Northern Education and Library board voted to bring the shutters down earlier this year.

Parents are up in arms after they were told over 150 children who attend the school will be forced to travel to other towns.

But in a letter to the minister of education the school’s board of governors and senior staff have called for the minister to back their fight to keep the school open..

“I am writing to you in the hope that your department can play a role in making small schools continue to thrive,” the letter reads. “Small schools do achieve success and have produced excellent citizens for many years — ‘if something ain’t broke don’t fix it!”“On behalf of pupils, parents and staff, we are asking you to consider the value of small schools like ours in Northern Ireland.  The school serves the local community, keeping the Protestant identity in Maghera. Pupils learn the importance of good community relations.”   

Police are hunting a callous kidnapper after a teenager was snatched from the street as she walked to school in Dungiven.

By Connla Young and Fiona Rutherford

The 14-year-old girl, whose identity is known to the County Derry Post, was bundled into the boot of a car by a man as she walked along Glenshane Road on Monday morning.

It is understood the terrified teenager was driven to an isolated area in the Old Priory district of the town before making her escape across nearby fields.

It is believed the terrified child used her mobile phone to alert family members to her ordeal.

The distraught teenager was being interviewed by police at a special unit for victims at Maydown yesterday.

A spokesman for the PSNI said: “Police are investigating an incident believed to have occurred earlier today. At this time due to the nature of the investigation it would be inappropriate and irresponsible to comment further.”

Councillor Michael Coyle, chairman of Limavady District Policing Partnership, who lives near the spot where the alleged incident took place, said: “The community is deeply in shock over the whole thing.

“We are very lucky that the young girl had a mobile phone and had the presence of mind to ring somebody.”

He said there was a strong case for making sure young people have mobile phones.

As chairman of the DPP, he said this sort of crime was very unusual in these parts. “People shouldn’t get into a panic but they should be very aware of what their family are doing. Children should contact parents or guardians to let them know if they are going out of their routine.

“The most important thing of all is that if anybody has any information on the incident, no matter how small it is, they should contact the PSNI directly or Crimestoppers or any of the councillors on the DPP or its members.”

Sick arsonists have struck in Limavady again at the weekend as the Fire Service attended yet another oil tank blaze.

By Orla McNichollorla@derrypost.com 

The latest fire, at Donald’s Way in the town, happened at around 9.30pm on Sunday and is being treated as deliberate.

A spokesperson for the NI Fire& Rescue Service said: “It was a domestic oil tank to the rear of a property that was on fire and two fire units from Limavady and Northland Road stations attended.“It is being treated as deliberate and police are investigating the incident.”Councillor Michael Coyle, Chairman of Limavady District Policing Partnership,said: “In this latest incident, the home owners were lucky as their oil tank didn’t have much oil in it, so it could have been much worse.“I would just reinforce the message that people need to make sure their oil tank is as secure as possible and keep as little oil as possible in the tank.”

In a further blow to the town, the countryside museum at the Roe Valley Country Park was forced to close after thugs broke into its yard and set three vans on fire.

The attack happened on Easter Monday night. The vans were close to the stone walls of the museum which suffered smoke damage.

A spokesperson for the Environment & Heritage Service, which runs the complex which includes the Dogleap Centre, said: “Three vehicles were burned and completely destroyed; there was also some superficial damage to doors and windows of the ground floor of the nearby building and some smoke damage to the upper floor of the building which houses Green Lane Museum.”

They added that the incident had not affected the park, visitor centre or café. “Due to the timing of the incident no staff were on site and no personal injuries sustained.”Cllr Coyle appealed to the public to report any suspicious activity to the police, their local councillor or the DPP.“The PSNI have now drafted in extra resources from Derry with officers who specialise in fire crime- I just hope these fires will stop now,” he added. Sunday evening also saw a false alarm at St Mary’s High School in Irish Green Street after there were reports of smoke.  Fire crews from Limavady and Dungiven attended but the source turned out to be a gas boiler.

A spokesperson for the school said: “There was no fire at the school, there was just a lot of smoke coming from one of the chimneys.”

Maghera wonder woman Trish Porter certainly has something to celebrate after being crowned Miss Northern Ireland bodybuilding champion.

By Orla McNicholl

orla@derrypost.com

Trish picked up the prestigious title after competing in the bodybuilding championships, which were held in the Guild Hall in Derry on March 8 and 9.

Speaking to the County Derry Post, Trish said: “The competition was just fantastic and the organisation of it all was just brilliant.

 “I had to pose in a bikini and do a dance routine and we were judged on the definition on our arms, legs, six pack and abs. 

“It was just fantastic when I found out I had won although I wouldn’t have got this far without help from Philip Linton from Garvagh who worked out my diets as well as the support I received from Walsh’s hotel while I was away training and competing.

“It’s just unbelievable to win this title. My main aim now is to turn professional.”

Trish, who has been crowned UK’s strongest woman twice, in 2002 and 2003, now hopes to seize the world title in Greece this June.

When the muscle woman isn’t pumping iron, she works as a food and beverage manager in Walsh’s hotel although she did admit that she has a gruelling fitness regime, which includes training five days a week and going on a thirteen week strict diet before competitions.

She joked: “This week I’m eating everything, but next week it’ll be back to the diet again to get ready for the next competition.”

A triumphant Paul McCloskey returned to a hero’s welcome in Dungiven after taking another step closer to a world title fight at the weekend.

By Connla Young

connla@derrypost.com

Hundreds of people turned out to greet the hard-hitting light welterweight who crushed former world champ Cesar Bazan at a packed Letterkenny Leisure Complex at the weekend.The Dungiven hit man hammered home his tough credentials in the bruising encounter and extended his unbeaten run to 16 wins.People across the county have taken “Dudey’s” cause to heart and his reputation as a serious title contender received a serious boost after Saturday’s victory.Pubs and clubs across the county were stuffed as punters packed in to catch the action live on RTE.And on Sunday, the Dungiven dangerman was ferried around his home town in a top down convertible as dozens turned out to give him a well earned pat on the back.The hero of the hour said he wasn’t expecting such a welcome home. “I was expecting nothing at all when we came back home,” he said.“When I came back and saw all the cars I thought someone was dead and people were at the wake. “When Emma and I turned up I was told all the people were there for me so we did a lap around the town.“It is nice to be appreciated by people in your own town and it made me feel good.”

Australian police have launched a fresh hunt for a County Derry man suspected of brutally murdering his wife and three children almost 40 years ago.

Connla Young reports………

“It doesn’t take a genius to work out that ‘Ulster Scots’ is simply a political football and has been hijacked to try to counteract the perceived success of the Irish Language and their efforts to resurrect our native tongue and promote Irish culture through that medium.”

Read Fergal McCusker’s ‘Take the Point’ column…..