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PSNI widow: They’ve taken my life
Tuesday, 10 March 2009
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The distraught wife of the police officer who was gunned down in a dissident republican ambush in Co Armagh said today that the killers have taken away her life as well.
Fighting back tears in the living room of her Banbridge home this morning, Kate Carroll told the Belfast Telegraph that she and husband Stephen – the first ever PSNI officer to be murdered by terrorists – had been planning to celebrate their 25th wedding anniversary next year.
And she hit out at the callous killers who shot the 48-year-old constable in cold blood, saying: "A good husband has been taken away from me, and my life has been destroyed..
"And what for? A piece of land that my husband is only going to get six feet of. These people have just taken my life as well."
Mrs Carroll was being comforted by her sister Marie at her home in a pleasant housing development near the centre of the Co Down town.
As she spoke, a steady stream of phone calls came in, with friends and relatives commiserating on the shocking death of her long-serving police officer husband at Lismore Manor in Craigavon.
Mrs Carroll, who was given the devastating news just after 11pm yesterday, said Constable Carroll’s stepson Shane, who is in his thirties, was both distraught and angry at his father's sudden and violent death.
Constable Carroll was gunned down at around 9.45pm as he responded to a call for help from a frightened woman who said her house was being attacked. He was shot as he was getting out of the police car. The Continuity IRA today claimed responsibility for the attack. There is believed to be cross-over and co-operation between the Continuity IRA and the larger Real IRA, which bombed Omagh in 1998 killing 29 people and injuring hundreds more.
Mrs Carroll said her husband had been on the night shift and she would have been expecting him home shortly after the time of the murder, which comes just days after the Real IRA murdered two soldiers outside Massereene Barracks in Antrim.
It is understood that Constable Carroll was due to retire from the force next year.
He had been studying part-time through the Police Rehabilitation and Retraining Trust for a degree in sport science in the hope of becoming a personal trainer when he retired from the force under the severance scheme.
In an interview in a Rehabilitation and Retraining Trust newsletter in 2007 Constable Carroll spoke of his future hopes for a new career outside the force.
“Once I complete my degree I hope to become a personal trainer when I retire in 2010. Having got the bug for studying I might even contemplate doing a Master’s degree. I want to encourage other people within the police service who are also retiring under the severance scheme to avail of the opportunities for training with Police Rehabilitation and Retraining Trust,” he said at the time.
Before studying for his degree he undertook a HNC in sports science at Belfast Institute.
This is the first murder of a police officer in Northern Ireland since 1998. Constable Frank O'Reilly was killed by a loyalist blast bomb during disturbances linked to the Drumcree dispute in 1998.
The last police officers murdered by republicans, RUC constables Roland John Graham and David Andrew Johnston, were shot dead by the IRA in Lurgan in June 1997.
Constable Carroll was the first PSNI officer to have been murdered by paramilitaries since the force was formed in 2001.
Dissident republicans tried to kill two PSNI officers in shootings in Derry and Dungannon in November 2007.
They have also been linked to a booby trap bomb which exploded under a police officer's car in Spamount, County Tyrone in May, 2008.
Prime Minister Gordon Brown today condemned the murder and insisted there would be no return to “the old days.
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Comments
82 Comments
Kate, I am so sorry for your loss. My brother is in the police and I fear for him everyday. Please remember that you and your family are in our hearts and we pray for you daily.
Caroline
Posted by Caroline | 13.03.09, 18:50 GMT
who are these people who are killing in the name of Ireland. I,m a southern catholic ,and the are not doing it in my name, or name of 99% of southern irish people.
i,m praying for mrs carroll and hoping no one else will suffer as she is suffering to_night
Posted by margaret | 12.03.09, 23:30 GMT
Having known Stephen, who was a great athlete & remembering him training in Mary Peters track along side my husband, I am shocked & distraught of what has happened. My heartfelt sympathy goes out to his wife Kate & his children at this very sad time. He has been robbed of his dream to be a fitness trainer & a brilliant one he would have been. Your in our thoughts & prayers.
Posted by Debbie | 11.03.09, 14:33 GMT
Jim "The murders of the police officer and two soldiers persuade me that capital punishment should be introduced for members of dissident Republican grrups"
And make martyrs out them? That's not well thought out at all. In Saudi, a women was recently flogged and deported for next to nothing. Something like that, but much more severe than a public flogging, might be appropriate here in NI.
Posted by mickey | 11.03.09, 10:06 GMT
why?
Posted by upoorbuilders | 11.03.09, 06:14 GMT
Totally disgusting event, especially after that of Saturday. I urge everyone to attend the protest rallies organise for today, starts at 1pm City Hall in Belfast. Some in Derry as well I think.
Posted by BT | 11.03.09, 02:16 GMT
My thoughts are with this man's family. What a shame. Please know I will pray for your comfort this evening.
Posted by Laura | 11.03.09, 01:32 GMT
The murders of the police officer and two soldiers persuade me that capital punishment should be introduced for members of dissident Republican grrups. If nobody wants to carry out the executions I'll do it for the price of a couple of pints. No 'decent' Republicans, even if they are/were members of PIRA, and no Loyalists want a return to violence. All normal people are to concerned about their jobs and jobs for their children. No surrender to these scumbags who want to ruin things for everybody else.
Posted by Jim | 10.03.09, 23:55 GMT
As an Australian I lived in Belfast for a few years in the early 80's, frightened, as in Australia we had never experienced terror! But we shared some fab times with some great people!
Went back in 2005, the situation seemed Different, Better, Safer.
It's a disgrace! I am deeply saddened about these men that have been murdered, and feel so much for their loved ones! Thought all this stuff was over!! All we want is a peaceful life in this World!
Posted by Liza Huston - Australia | 10.03.09, 23:33 GMT
I am a Catholic retired Royal Ulster Constabulary police officer. It was an honour to serve the entire community without fear or favour......Police officers deal with criminals..we don't care about ethnic/religious/political leanings, etc and so on. We never did care,a crim was a crim.When I was in training in Enniskillen 30 years ago, the drill sergeant advised me that there was 3 religions in NI....PAPES-PRODS----AND PEELERS....We Wr in th MIDDLE. The integrity of the men/ women I served with was incredible...We are all just MAN/WOMAN/HUMAN ....God bless Constable Carroll and his family..Appalling crime ,and I commend the person from Donegal who want's to serve in the PSNI and protect people from evil criminals/terrorists ...Mucho Suerte!
Posted by CASTILLO DE LA ESTRELLA | 10.03.09, 21:20 GMT
This is really sad... I`m norwegian and was cyclingfrom Belfast to Enniskillen 2 years ago. I met only nice and friendly people, and can not understand why somebodytrying to start the troubles again! you have so much to show people! The people of Northert Ireland do not deserve this.
I hope the police catch the covards!
The people deserve to live their lives in peace! I feel with you. Sorry about my english but..
Tor - Norway
Posted by Tor Joh | 10.03.09, 20:48 GMT
Like so many others I too grew up in the bad times in Northern Ireland and also like so many others I am now bringing up my own children, who no little of the lives we had to live during the 30+ years of conlict.
My heart goes out to the families of those who have been murdered so ruthlessly over these past few days and the only words I can say is that I am sorry for the loss you have suffered.
We must not allow these people to succeed in thier attempts to drag our land back into murder and mayhem. The most appropriate memorial we can give these three brave men and also those who have been seriously wounded is for each and everyone of us man, woman and young person to demand of our political leaders to once and for all put aside thier party politics and instead get on with the politics of running Northern Ireland in a manner befitting the price paid by these heroic men.
It is our responsibility to stand side by side with the politicians and support them as they lead us forward.
Posted by Philip | 10.03.09, 20:46 GMT
Rest in peace to the victims and sympathy to the families from a southern Irishman.
These scum won't decide for the decent people if there is to be peace or not. The people have voted for peace and that's that. These cowards must not be allowed to change that.
I hope loyalists won't fall into the trap set for them and retaliate. These thugs are isolated, have minimal support and will have every police resource thrown at them. Their twisted ideology/thuggery will wither and die without the support they so desperately crave. Good riddance.
Posted by barrynla | 10.03.09, 20:24 GMT
Our sympathy belongs to the relatives of the victims of this senseless deed.Northern Ireland will take heavy damage if the force revives.Support the peace..
Posted by Jay | 10.03.09, 19:10 GMT
They are the scum of the earth. I would not call them animals they are the lowest of the low. Some day they will meet their maker, and I hope they rot in HELL.
Posted by J Anderson | 10.03.09, 18:51 GMT
From a Canadian perspective it is clearly obvious that much louder condemnation of these atrocities from Martin Maguinnes, Gerry Adams, Sinn Fein and Republicans in general would go a long way in convincing the general population of Northern Ireland that they are genuine in their offering of condolences to families and relatives of those fallen men. One can only imagine that they probably have connections that could expedite bringing the culprits to justice, if they so desired which would indeed bolster their proliferations of caring.
Posted by Sean | 10.03.09, 18:19 GMT
These murderers are no patriots, volunteers for the republican cause, or whatever they profess to be, they are simply cowardly criminals no better than paedophiles or rapists and should be treated with similar contempt.
Posted by col | 10.03.09, 18:12 GMT
We can't even call these people a minority because they don't even come to that! Please don't let there be any retaliation - NI can not take 10 steps back in the WRONG direction. How can they not see how much our little country has changed for the better? No-one can seriously want to go back to living in fear. There are children in this country who have no concept of the Troubles - let them learn from it in the history books and let us progress. My thoughts and prayers are with the families of the innocent soldiers, police officer and pizza delivery men who, as it always used to be, were in the wrong place at the wrong time. I second the call for Bel Tel to hold a peace rally - we need to come together and show these people that this won't be tolerated by the people of Northern Ireland!
Posted by Always hopeful | 10.03.09, 17:18 GMT
I was just in Ireland /Northen Ireland for the first time ever back in October, 2008. I was so pleased that my tour took us to Northern Ireland and that I got to spend time in Downpatrick, Newtonnards (where my ancestors are from), Belfast and Derry. The Good Friday Peace Agreement showed it's wonderous results to me during my visit. In fact, I was planning a return trip this year and now MUST GO to show those responsible that peace trumps war, that love conquers hate. To the wonderful, peace loving people of Northern Ireland, PLEASE REJECT VIOLENCE and continued forward UNITED. In the words of a U2 song, "DON'T LET THE BASTARDS KEEP YOU DOWN!" My condlonces to all those innocents who recently parrised in these gutless attacks. May God have mercy on their souls and may His blessings and grace welcome them into his arms.
Posted by Brian | 10.03.09, 17:14 GMT
Deepest sympathies to the fallen officer's family circle. Totally despicable act which should be seen as an attack on the whole community given that Constable Carroll was serving the whole community.
Those with information on who these animals are should do the decent thing and give this information to the PSNI so they can be eradicated from society.
Posted by Bill | 10.03.09, 16:49 GMT
82 Comments