The double killing took place in March 2021 and led to calls for action in tackling gender-based violence
An inquest into the killing of two women in Newtownabbey is expected to begin before summer 2026, a coroner has said.
It is believed Kenneth McClean-Flanagan, 26, murdered his mother Karen McClean-Flanagan, 50, and girlfriend Stacey Knell, 30, in Newtownabbey in March 2021 before killing himself.
The double killing led to calls in the Northern Ireland Assembly for unified and determined action to tackle gender-based violence in Northern Ireland. A first preliminary hearing in inquests into the three deaths was held at Belfast’s Laganside Courthouse in March.
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In the latest preliminary hearing at Belfast Laganside Courthouse on Thursday, November 27, Coroner Anne-Louise Toal said she hopes to have the case listed to take place before summer.
Ronan Daly, counsel for the coroner, said “work has been going on behind the scenes” in relation to disclosure materials, adding he has now “finished review of 20 PSNI case files.”
Michael McAleer, a barrister representing Ms Knell’s family, said that a “substantial amount” of materials were received last night electronically. He added: “I haven’t had the opportunity to review it but just to let the inquest know we’re maybe a bit further on than we thought.”
The coroner said she is “very glad to hear” the case is now “at such an advanced stage in relation to the release of disclosure.” She said she hopes they can start “moving at pace to have this listed.” It is expected the inquest will last for one week.
“We’re coming up to five years now since the unfortunate deaths, so I am keen both from the point of view of getting accurate witness evidence as close to the time as we can, and also just for all of the families, they have been very patient with us in dealing with this. So I’m keen to get this listed, I would hope before the summer,” the coroner added.
“It may be that I will have to list this in Banbridge, that will be the court that will give us the most availability in the quickest period of time. I think once the disclosure is there, we can really get this listed probably at the next preliminary hearing.”
Counsel for the coroner, Ronan Daly, added that these are the “first domestic homicide reviews conducted in Northern Ireland under the new legislation.”
He added: “There have been several since, but these are matters that are of some significance in the context of these type of cases. We obviously have death of partner and death of parent, so we have two very serious matters in the context of the legislation and the homicide review reporting and processes.”
A preliminary hearing is due to take place on January 6.
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