UDA order mother of murder victim to flee

Drug-dealing loyalist paramilitaries have ordered a grandmother and her family out of their homes over Christmas for daring to speak out against them over the murder of her son.

Ellen Quinn (left) who is 76 years old, is still grieving for her son Glenn who was brutally murdered by the UDA in his Carrickfergus flat in January. She was given 24 hours to leave her home last Sunday along with her son Martin.

The mum and son were threatened with being shot if they didn’t leave their home town in County Antrim. The threat was delivered by the PSNI after they spoke to a journalist about how much they were dreading their first Christmas without Glenn.

The PSNI told the family that “elements within the South East Antrim UDA have given Ellen Quinn and Martin Quinn 24 hours to leave Carrick or they would be subject to a violent attack and use of firearms could not be ruled out”.

Ellen, who is spending Christmas with her daughter Lesley in Scotland, was brave. She said: “It is absolutely disgusting. I’m not one bit afraid of them.

“They can’t do any worse to me than what they have already done to Glenn.

“If they come anywhere near me it will be the rock they perish on.

“They murdered my son and this is my first Christmas without him and I think about him morning, noon and night and what they did to him.

“They brutally murdered him and walked out of his flat laughing.

“The death threats don’t surprise me. They are not the UDA, they are the Ulster Drugs Association living in their wee hide-holes, taking youngsters and leading them into drugs and it is time they were stopped.”

She added: “They will not put me out of Carrick. I belong in Carrick.”

Glenn was beaten to death in his flat on January 3 last year. Frail because of a terminal illness, he didn’t stand a chance when he was attacked by a UDA gang wielding baseball bats and an iron bar. He died several hours later from horrific injuries.

Before he passed away, Glenn was able to make a phone call to his brother Martin when he named his killers. It is believed he was targeted for criticising the South East Antrim UDA for an arson attack on the business premises of a friend.

Last year’s Christmas tree and cards from family and friends are still on display in his flat as it remains a crime scene.

This is now the second time that Ellen’s son Martin has been threatened. In June he was also given 24 hours to leave Carrick after speaking out about his brother’s killers.

He is upset that his elderly mother is now facing a death threat while trying to get through her first Christmas without her son.

“Obviously we are sickened that people who murdered Glenn could threaten violence against a 76-year-old woman,” he said.

“Glenn received a threat on December 29 last year and a week later that threat was carried out and he was murdered so obviously myself and my mum are concerned.

“However, it has given us even more resolve to continue to shine the spotlight on these people and the people who protect them.

“If they think a bunch of junkies in an estate can stop us from seeking justice for Glenn, they are very sadly mistaken.”

Urgent Appeal