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SDLP councillor 'shaken' after receiving 'vile' mail

Jake Wood
BBC News NI
Malachy Quinn A man with short dark hair and a dark beard is smiling at the camera. He is wearing a red, black and white sports jersey with sunglasses tucked into the neckline. Behind him is a cream coloured wall. Malachy Quinn
Malachy Quinn said the content of the parcel "knocked me for six"

Police enquiries are ongoing into a parcel sent to SDLP Mid-Ulster Councillor Malachy Quinn which contained "vile" and "deeply offensive" images.

Quinn received the parcel of more than 40 pages of "graphic" material including what he believes to be abortion images, depictions of Adolf Hitler as well as anti-Semitic material, at the Mid Ulster District Council office on Thursday evening.

Police received a report the following day.

The parcel was sent using a stamp from the Republic of Ireland.

Speaking to BBC News NI, Quinn said receiving the parcel left him feeling "so shaken".

Quinn opened the parcel before a meeting with council colleagues on Thursday evening.

"The abortion stuff really knocked me for six and confused me," he said.

In a statement he said the material "clearly intended to intimidate me and stop me speaking out".

"Let me be absolutely clear: it will not work," he added.

"I am proud of the work I have done to challenge prejudice, and no anonymous coward hiding behind hate mail will ever change that."