Newtownabbey murders: Police say attacks were horrific

The women were found dead at separate homes in Newtownabbey

The "appalling" murders of two women in County Antrim on Friday have "left children facing a lifetime without their mums", police have said.

They confirmed that the women who died were Karen McClean, 50, and Stacey Knell, who was 30.

Detectives believe Ken Flanagan, 26, murdered his mother, Karen, and girlfriend, Stacey, in Newtownabbey before killing himself.

Officers said it was a "really shocking and horrific double murder".

Det Ch Insp John Caldwell said the women were killed in their homes, where they should have felt safe.

"My thoughts are very much with their families as they come to terms with their tragic loss," he said.

Stormont politicians have condemned the murders and pledged to do more to tackle violence against women.

MLAs raised the matter at the start of assembly business on Monday.

Representatives from all parties said there is a significant problem that must be acknowledged by politicians and wider society.

'Report of concern'

Police said they received a report of a stabbing at Derrycoole Way, Rathcoole, at about 22:55 GMT on Friday. A woman was found dead at the scene.

They were then called to a house at Glenville Road, where a second woman was found dead and Ken Flanagan was found unconscious. He subsequently died.

Floral tributes were left at the scene of one of the killings

Sam Lillie, the father of Ms Knell's child, told BBC News NI he had contacted social services and the PSNI earlier on Friday because of concerns about his child.

He said he had had a "really bad feeling something bad was going to happen".

"I never, ever predicted it would be this," he added.

"As you know the police can't do anything unless somebody does something.

"I knew that even before I went to the police station, so I knew I was wasting my time going there, but I did what they told me to do."

Mr Lillie said social services had taken what he said "seriously" and that they had said they would contact Ms Knell on Monday.

Police have confirmed they received a report of concern for the safety of a child on Friday, 19 March.

"Following review, there was no evidence of immediate concern for the child's safety and the caller was provided with advice in respect of the matter," said Ch Supt Davy Beck.

When contacted, the Belfast Health and Social Care Trust said it was unable to comment at this stage, due to confidentiality issues and an ongoing police investigation.

'Not heard'

North Belfast MLA Paula Bradley suggested that, given what had happened, the system was not working.

Speaking to BBC News NI's Good Morning Ulster on Monday, she said: "We have a system that requires hard evidence before police or social services will step in to try and divert.

"That whole early intervention service is something that we need in place to assist the police and social services.

"For that young man who went forward to police, he obviously is devastated that the actions he took were not heard or not acted upon."

Police believe Ken Flanagan murdered his mother and girlfriend in Newtownabbey on Friday before killing himself

Ms Bradley also called for a gender-based strategy to deal with violence against women and girls.

"We also need to see a shift in our judiciary when it comes to handing out the maximum tariffs for anyone who has been found guilty of any form of domestic abuse," she said.

"There needs to be a bigger shift in just how we deal with violence against women and girls."

In the assembly on Monday, Infrastructure Minister Nichola Mallon said legislation was needed that would make misogyny a hate crime.

Justice Minister Naomi Long said she hoped to put a paper before the NI Executive this week on a strategy to protect women and girls from violence.

Northern Ireland is the only part of the UK without a specific strategy.

'Erode sexism'

"We must as a society do all we can to erode sexism and protect women. We must do it for Stacey and Karen and their families, and for the many other victims that should have been protected in our society but weren't," said Ms Mallon.

Infrastructure Minister Nichola Mallon says legislation is needed that would make misogyny a hate crime

Ulster Unionist leader Steve Aiken said there was "far too much violence" in society against women.

"What do we say to our young daughters? What do we say to our wives, our mothers, our sisters, particularly as men in Northern Ireland?

"We have to acknowledge the fact that we have a significant problem, and we have to deal with it."

TUV leader Jim Allister said there was a need for a "great change of attitude where a resort to violence isn't readily taken".

"This past weekend is yet another tragic example of that," he added.

Sinn Féin Mid Ulster MLA Linda Dillon said it was a problem for "entire communities".

"It is a problem that we all need to deal with. But we're not only talking about domestic abuse.

"We're talking about violence against women and girls in every facet, whether that's within their home, on the streets, in the workplace, in their place of education, or wherever it may be, we have to deal with this issue."

Mrs Long said it was an "absolute tragedy" to see women losing their lives to violence in Northern Ireland.

Speaking on Sunday, she said early intervention was needed to tackle "offending behaviours" in the perpetrators of violence.