10/01/2006

Police continue searches over schoolboy murder

Police investigating the murder of a Northern Ireland schoolboy are to carry out fresh searches today.

Thomas Devlin, 15, was murdered close to his home in North Belfast last August after going to a local shop to buy sweets with friends.

He was stabbed five times in the attack, which happened on the Somerton Road area of the city.

The PSNI today returned to the nearby loyalist Mount Vernon area to carry out further investigations following the discovery of items during premises searches in December.

The items were seized by the authorities and removed for forensic examination.

A sectarian motive is one of the possibilities being considered by police.

Detectives have said that two young men, who were seen with a black and white dog, are key suspects in their inquiry.

Despite a number of people having been questioned about the murder, no one has ever been charged.

(EF/SP)

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