Youth arrested over stabbing

The RUC has appealed to the gay community in Belfast to assist its investigation into the killing of Mr Alister David Holmes, following the arrest of a 16-year-old youth.

Mr Holmes (30), originally from Dungannon, Co Tyrone, was found dead in a flat at Eglantine Avenue in south Belfast in the early hours of Sunday morning. He was the sixth person to die of stab wounds in the North over the holiday period.

Det Supt Allen Thompson, the officer in charge of the investigation, said the victim had been "severely assaulted and stabbed". He said a "great deal of violence" had been used in the attack and officers had yet to recover the murder weapon.

"The scene is still secure and by no means are we finished our activity there. I'm not going to say what the weapon was but of course knives may come into the scenario," he said.

Mr Holmes's body was discovered by firefighters who responding to a report of a small fire at the flat. Det Supt Thompson said he believed Mr Holmes was killed before a neighbour telephoned the Fire Service at 2.26 a.m. on Sunday. Det Supt Thompson said a teenager was arrested late on Monday night and was being questioned. "However, I must strenuously highlight that doesn't mean the investigation has stopped. It's merely an early action at the initial stages of the murder investigation," he said.

Det Supt Thompson said Mr Holmes, who worked as a cleaner, had lived alone at Eglantine Avenue for six months and had been a resident of the area for the last two or three years.

Det Supt Thompson appealed to Mr Holmes's friends to come forward with information about his movements on Saturday night. "My inquiries so far would lead me to believe that Alister was a member of the gay community. I would appeal for assistance from the gay community," he added.

Det Supt Thompson said a blue plastic bag and bottles of white wine had been found at the scene. An incident room has been set up at Lisburn Road RUC station.