Man killed 'in drinking row'

A man found dead in a house may have been killed after a row among drinking partners.

As murder squad detectives questioned three people, sources claim the victim, in his forties, had been stabbed.

His body was discovered at Tower Street, off the lower Newtownards Road in east Belfast, just before 5pm yesterday.

No paramilitary involvement is suspected, and detectives are understood to have dismissed any possible sectarian motive.

“Locals are saying they were all in there having a drink for several hours,” one source said.

“Next thing a knife was produced and he died as a result of his injuries.”

The house where the body was discovered is close to one of the Belfast Institute of Higher Education colleges.

Ulster Unionist councillor Jim Rodgers said east Belfast had been blighted by too much tragedy in recent months.

“Although the circumstances in this incident are not clear, a life has been lost and that is sad for anyone connected with him,” he said.

“There has been a lot of tragedy in this part of the city in recent times. Only at the weekend, we witnessed the tragic death of three young people killed, unfortunately, in a car.

“There have also been murders and it would seem life has become cheap in this part of the city.”