Man charged over killing of teenager

Police have charged a 36-year-old man in connection with the murder of Gavin Brett, the Protestant teenager who was shot dead on Sunday night.

The man, from Carrickfergus, County Antrim, was charged with withholding information about the killing, which occurred outside a Catholic sports club in Glengormley, on the outskirts of Belfast. A second man arrested was released without charge yesterday.

Mr Brett, 18, died in the arms of his paramedic father after he was hit in a drive-by shooting claimed by the Red Hand Defenders, a cover name for the outlawed Ulster Defence Association and the Loyalist Volunteer Force.

Mr Brett was with friends outside St Enda's Gaelic Athletic Association Club when he was hit by gunfire intended for Catholics in his group. One of them, Michael Farrell, was shot in the ankle.

The murder was the second sectarian killing of a teenager in a month. The Red Hand Defenders also claimed the murder of Ciaran Cummings, 19, in Antrim town on 4 July.

Mr Brett's father, Michael, who helped treat victims of the Omagh bombing, which killed 29 in 1998, spoke movingly of his son, whom he said "had not a bigoted bone in his body".

On Tuesday, Mr Brett was honoured by a cross-community vigil and the composer Lord Lloyd-Webber said yesterday that the final performance of his musical The Beautiful Game, on 1 September, will be dedicated to Mr Brett.