'They see me as their worst enemy' - Toni Johnston-Ogle on East Belfast criminal elements
Toni Johnston-Ogle has claimed criminal elements in East Belfast view her as 'their worst enemy', after speaking out and trying to expose them.
Last updated 17th Apr 2019
Her father Ian Ogle was murdered on Cluan Place in January, just yards from the family home.
He was attacked by a group of men, stabbed 11 times and left with a fractured skull before he died.
Toni has said she has lived in fear since his death, but that she will continue to speak out against those suspected of involvement in his death or in harming the community.
Police linked that murder to the East Belfast UVF, who had threatened and intimidated the Ogle family in the 18 months before his death.
"They see me as their worst enemy at the minute," she said.
"But I don't care, I'm not doing anything wrong and I've never done anything wrong.
"For a long time after my daddy was murdered, I wouldn't go anywhere on my own, I wouldn't even walk the Newtownards Road.
"But in the past fortnight or so, I thought 'do you know what? I'll walk where I want and I'll walk all over East Belfast if I want, because I've done nothing wrong.'"
Toni told Downtown/Cool FM News two threats have been made against relatives of hers in recent weeks.
"It's two women, which is an absolute joke, that two women are still being terrorised," she said.
However, she has been able to draw strength from the many women who have come forward to support her.
Hundreds marched through East Belfast last month to show their opposition to thugs exercising control over the community.
"There's women coming to me in the background that are still too frightened to come forward," she said.
"But I think the fact they're even telling someone is a start and that's why I'm going to continue to encourage those women.
"I'd never pressure anyone, because I know how scared people are, but I just hope with the encouragement they'll feel able to go to the police and eventually get things sorted."
For the long term, Toni hopes to put something in place to keep her father's memory alive.
"I would definitely like to do something to keep the momentum up," she said.
"To show the community that we're still going against these people.
"I'm thinking of a few things and i think there's a few things in the pipeline for the future."