Belfast stabbing 'a killing waiting to happen', says Adams

Sinn Féin leader Gerry Adams has described the recent murder of a Belfast shopkeeper as “a killing waiting to happen”.

Speaking on RTÉ radio today, Adams said that the stabbing to death of Harry Holland, 65, almost two weeks ago, when a gang tried to rob his delivery van.

Mr Adams said that two constituents had warned the PSNI that there were a gang in the area armed with knifes, and were on “a rampage”.

However the Sinn Féin leader accepted that there was “a lack of confidence” in relation to policing in West Belfast, and that the problem needs to be addressed.

He said that it is not the case that West Belfast was under-policed and that historically it has never been “properly policed”.

Mr Adams said that there was never an acceptable policing service in West Belfast during his lifetime.

He called for proper community policing measures and pointed out that there was no lack of willingness on the behalf of people living in West Belfast to engage with the PSNI.

Mr Holland died as a result of being stabbed in the neck. Mr Adams, who knew the dead man, said he was angry over what had happened.

Such criminal acts he said were “a modern phenomenon, fuelled by drink and or drugs”, which are caused by some parents not accepting responsibility.

Mr Adams also said that while the majority of young people in West Belfast are good citizens there are a small number in the area who he described as criminals.

Criminality, he said, is not unique to West Belfast, adding that the crime figures for more middle-class South Belfast are worse.

“What is happening in Belfast in general pales in comparison to what is happening on a daily basis in Dublin,” he added.