Man beaten to death on 'peace line'

A man was battered to death as he walked his dog on west Belfast's so-called 'peace line' yesterday.

Kieran Abram, 35, a Catholic, was bludgeoned with staves spiked with nails. He died shortly after police found him unconscious when they broke up clashes between gangs. The fighting was near an Army base in North Howard Street, which links the Catholic Falls and Protestant Shankill districts. The RUC said that five men would appear in court today charged with murder.