Police in Northern Ireland have arrested a man on suspicion of murdering Sean Small, an 84-year-old who had recently completed a prison sentence for sexual offences. The suspect, in his 40s, was detained on Tuesday, two days after Small's body was discovered outside his home on Slievenabrock Avenue in Newcastle, County Down.
Detectives said the victim was last seen alive on 19 August and sustained a “brutal and sustained attack” at some point between then and 24 August. A postmortem is under way to establish the precise time and cause of death.
In 2022, Small pleaded guilty to ten sexual offences against a vulnerable woman and a teenage girl. He was sentenced to three years in prison and a further three years under supervision in the community, having recently returned home.
Detective Chief Inspector Kerrie Foreman confirmed that there had been an incident of criminal damage at Small's house several weeks ago. She appealed for the public not to speculate on the motive, stating, “I know the local community will be in shock following the news of this crime. Detectives are working as quickly as possible to understand how and why this has taken place.”
Crimestoppers has offered a reward of up to £20,000 for information leading to the arrest and conviction of those responsible. The mother of one of Small’s victims told the Belfast Telegraph that neither she nor her daughter had been notified of his release, though rumours of his freedom had circulated in recent weeks.
