Fresh Loyalist Murder Probe 'Too Late'

The North's police have confirmed they are to reinvestigate the loyalist murder of a Newtownabbey teenager in July 2001.

Gavin Brett, 18, (pictured) was shot dead on the Hightown Road in Glengormley, Co Antrim as he stood chatting to a group of Catholic and Protestant friends.

However, the news comes too late for Gavin Brett's late father, who died over four years ago.

Michael, a paramedic who had attended the Omagh bombing ran to the scene of the shooting but could not resuscitate his own son.

Michael was also on the scene at the infamous Shankill Road bomb blast, which killed and maimed scores of shoppers.

Loyalist paramilitaries murdered the Glengormley teenager simply because they thought he was a Catholic, the then RUC Chief Constable said.

Sir Ronnie Flanagan said the possibility that the UDA murdered Mr Brett was a "line of inquiry we will be actively following up".

Gavin Brett's late father, Michael, a paramedic, was on the scene and tried in vain to help his son who died after the drive-by shooting at Hightown Road on that Sunday night a decade ago.

The Protestant teenager's 18-year-old friend, who is a Catholic, was shot in the ankle in the attack near a Gaelic Athletic Association club and survived.

So-called dissident loyalists calling themselves the Red Hand Defenders admitted carrying out the murder.

It had been used as a cover name used by both the Ulster Defence Association and Loyalist Volunteer Force.

"Taken collectively they represent the lowest form of so-called loyalist life - people who are prepared to killed on the basis that their victims may be Catholics," he said.

More than 100 ambulance colleagues of Gavin's father attended the funeral in their service uniforms.

Now, the PSNI has confirmed they had reviewed the case, which would now be investigated by detectives from its Serious Crime Branch.

In a statement on Friday, the PSNI said initial contact had been made with Gavin Brett's family and that renewed police enquiries were at an early stage.

Michael, a giant of a man in more ways than just his 6'4' stature continued to work for peace and to help ease community division in the Glengormley area and was elected Treasurer of the Antrim Line Community Policing Forum where he helped advise and guide local policing activities at grass-roots level.

He passed away in 2007 in the cancer unit of Belfast City Hospital and never saw justice for the day his beloved son, 18-year-old Gavin, was cut down in 2001.

Speaking at the time, close family friend Rev Nigel Baylor was at his hospital bedside hours before Michael passed away

He said: "At least the family were prepared for this time. He was diagnosed early this year and was in some discomfort.

"He was born to be a paramedic and had a natural caring attitude. It wasn't just a job to him."

Michael and his family even appeared on the Reconciliation programme run by Archbishop Desmond Tutu where they went face to face with a former loyalist killer.

Another member of the Policing Forum, the SDLP councillor, Noreen McClelland said: "He was a quiet, reliable, very caring man and a great loss. He was devastated when Gavin was killed.

"He didn't want any other family to suffer the way they suffered.

"The community was devastated and disgusted Gavin could be killed like that. Everybody felt heartbroken. He was a big, courageous man-a giant."

On the day of his son's killing, July 29, 2001, Mr Brett received a call on his mobile phone to say his son had been shot as he chatted with a group of pals.

He ran to the scene but could not save him and cradled Gavin in his arms as the teenager slipped away.

Rev Baylor said: "He was in the wrong place at the wrong time. Michael was still puzzled up to his death as to why anyone would to that. I believe it would have pleased him that he lived to see peace in Northern Ireland."

(BMcC/GK)