Three men sentenced to 20 years for Belfast murder

Three men have been sentenced to 20 years in prison for the murder of Ian Ogle in Belfast. The men are Glenn Rainey, 38, Walter Ervine, 43, and Robert Spiers, 41. They were found guilty of the brutal attack that took Ogle's life. Two additional men, Jonathan Brown and Mark Sewell, were given 17-and-a-half-year sentences for their involvement in the crime. Ogle was 45 years old when he was beaten and stabbed 11 times near his home in January 2019. In connection with the murder, three others received suspended sentences for their roles in assisting the attackers. Christopher Haire, Jill Morrison, and Thomas McCartney admitted to helping the offenders, while Reece Kirkwood pleaded guilty to withholding information. Justice McFarland, speaking at Belfast Crown Court, noted significant factors that made the crime more serious. He highlighted that it was a pre-planned, revenge attack involving five masked men against an unarmed victim. The attack took place in public and involved threats to a bystander. The judge also mentioned efforts to dispose of evidence after the murder. He stated that all five involved acted as a cohesive unit, which contributed to the sentencing.