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Lee Irving: Murder of 24-year-old Newcastle man is being treated as a disability hate crime Murder of disabled Newcastle man Lee Irving being treated as a hate crime
(about 9 hours later)
The murder of a 24-year-old man is being treated as a disability hate crime by police. Police have said that a murdered Newcastle man may have been targeted because he was disabled.
Lee Irving, who had learning difficulties, was discovered in Newcastle on Saturday. Four men and one woman have been arrested on suspicion of murder. Northumbria Police said they were investigating whether Mr Irving’s learning difficulties were a factor in his death. The body of Lee Irving, 24, was found near Hazeldene Avenue in Fawdon, Newcastle upon Tyne, early on Saturday.
Superintendent Bruce Storey said: “Those involved in this know each other. Lee had learning difficulties and was vulnerable. One of our lines of inquiry is to establish whether this is a factor in his death and a motivation in this crime.” Mr Irving, from Camperdown, a street near to where his body was found, suffered from learning difficulties and was vulnerable, according to Northumbria Police.
Emergency services were called to a grassy area near a path in the Fawdon area at around 8.30am on Saturday. Mr Irving, from Camperdown, East Denton, was declared dead at the scene and a post-mortem examination was carried out. A post mortem was carried out over the weekend, and the results prompted police to launch a murder investigation.
Police said the local community is  “shocked and appalled” by Mr Irving’s death and extra officers are carrying out patrols in the area to offer reassurance. Lee Irving's body was found near Hazeldene Avenue, Newcastle upon Tyne One of the police's key lines of inquiry is to find out whether his disabilities were a motivation for the crime. Currently, police investigators are treating his death as a disability hate crime.
Police say it is thought that those involved in the crime know each other.
UPDATE: Body found in Newcastle - murder investigation launched. Five people arrested. http://t.co/9s6XXtqcDR
Four men and a woman have been arrested on suspicion of murder and are in police custody.
Superintendent Bruce Storey, of Northumbria Police, said: "It's important those suspected of being responsible face the consequences of their actions and I would urge anyone who was in Fawdon on Saturday morning, between 7am and 9am, to come forward and speak to us"
Anyone with information is asked to contact Northumbria Police on 101, extension 69191 quoting reference 407 060615, or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.