Carrickfergus death remains under investigation

Mystery surrounds the death of a man in a Co Antrim estate over the weekend.

Police are continuing to investigate after the man’s body was found in a house in the Woodburn estate in Carrickfergus on Saturday night.

It is understood that the man, who lived on Ashleigh Park, was subjected to a paramilitary-style beating earlier in the week, however, it is unclear if he died as a result of those injuries, a further attack on Saturday or an unrelated incident.

A postmortem is to be carried out on Monday to determine the cause of death.

Sources have indicated that he was in contact with family members and friends up until around 4pm on Saturday.

Police at the scene on Sunday morning (Justin Kernoghan/Photopress)

One said: “We won’t know the exact cause until the postmortem and the situation is very unclear at this point.

“The victim was just a normal punter about Carrick. He was just a normal guy, with no connections to anything.”

Police were called to the scene on Saturday night, while forensics worked at the scene into the early hours of Sunday morning.

A PSNI spokesman said on Saturday night: “Police are currently at the scene of a sudden death of a man aged in his 40s, in the Woodburn area of Carrickfergus this evening. A postmortem will take place to determine the cause of death. There are no further details at this stage.”

Police forensic experts at the scene on Saturday night (Photopress/Justin Kernoghan)

UUP MLA John Stewart offered his condolences.

He told Belfast Live: “The circumstances surrounding the death are still unclear but without doubt this is an absolute tragedy. My thoughts and sympathies are with the victim’s family and friends at this tragic time.

“His family will want answers and so we await the postmortem results on Monday.”

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