Ian Ogle murder: Victim 'lived in fear' for 18 months

The daughter of murdered Ian Ogle has said her family had been "terrorised" for 18 months.

Mr Ogle was assaulted and killed in Cluan Place in east Belfast at about 21:00 GMT on Sunday.

His daughter, Toni Johnston, said he had been subject to a campaign of intimidation.

In a statement on Monday, the paramilitary group the east Belfast Ulster Volunteer Force (UVF) said it "wholeheartedly condemned" the murder.

Two men and two women arrested over the murder have been released on bail.

'An insult'

Ms Johnston said the east Belfast UVF's statement was "an insult".

She said she did not think the group sanctioned the attack on her father but that his killers were using the name of the organisation.

She told BBC News NI: "What I have to say to the UVF, what I have to ask from the UVF, is why these thugs were able to terrorise this community for so long.

"I blame the UVF for protecting them.

"Why were they allowed to do this? Because it wasn't only us.

"They had terrorised a lot of decent people of east Belfast.

Mr Ogle had acted as a spokesman for the loyalist community and took part in a meeting of the loyalist Ulster People's Forum in 2013.

Ian Ogle had acted as a spokesman for the loyalist community

Ms Johnston said she believed her father may have been targeted after her brother was involved in an incident in a bar with men claiming to be from the UVF 18 months ago.

She said her father and her brother had subsequently been ordered to go for "punishment by appointment".

She said: "My daddy said no. He said: 'We've done nothing wrong, we were attacked'.

"Then the intimidation, the harassment - they terrorised us and now it's come to this."

'Living in fear'

She added: "My daddy, over the past 18 months, was expecting an attack on the house or an attack on my house.

"My daddy was living in fear that they were going to kill my brother.

Floral tributes to Ian Ogle were left near the scene of his murder

"My daddy was saying to my mum, when they were just at home watching TV: 'They better not get my Ryan, they better not get my Ryan, they better get me before they get my kids.'

"And then they did.

"We were living in fear for 18 months and now the worst has happened.

"Until my last breath I will be fighting for justice for my daddy."

Searches believed to be linked to the investigation have taken place on the Lower Newtownards Road.

Police have appealed for witnesses to come forward, particularly anyone who may have seen a group of men running in the area.

A loyalist source told BBC News NI that Mr Ogle was "no saint" but was "a decent member of the community" who stood up for his family.

"He was an influence for good in a difficult situation," the source said.