STEPHEN SCOTT FROM WARRENPOINT: HORRIFIC MURDERER OF TEENAGER IN OMAGH AND TYRONE REVEALED ENJOYING FREEDOM

In a startling development, Stephen Scott, notorious for his heinous crimes, was recently spotted enjoying a rare moment of freedom in Warrenpoint, near Newry. The 40-year-old, who has a dark and violent past, was seen soaking up the sun while engaged in painting his mother’s fence, an activity that starkly contrasted with his grim history. Witnesses passing by initially perceived him as just a muscular handyman, but his true identity, and the chilling details of his past, soon became apparent to those familiar with his case.

It was Scott’s piercing eyes that betrayed him. The same hawk-like gaze that had been prominently featured in press photographs at the time of his conviction over 17 years ago was recognized by some observant locals. His presence in Warrenpoint, close to Newry, last weekend, reignited memories of one of Ireland’s most brutal killers.

Stephen Scott is responsible for a series of gruesome crimes that have left a permanent scar on the nation’s collective memory. Most notably, he murdered 17-year-old Sylvia Fleming, who was pregnant at the time, in a manner that shocked and horrified the public. The young girl, who was training as a hairdresser and working at a local nursing home, was last seen in April 1998. Her body was discovered eight weeks later, buried beneath the foundations of a new-build house in Omagh, after Scott and his accomplices had dismembered her.

According to reports, Scott, along with his former army friend Paul Rigby, carried Sylvia’s mutilated remains across town in backpacks. Their grim task was part of a sinister plan to dispose of Scott’s pregnant girlfriend and her unborn child, whom he had murdered in a brutal and disturbing manner. The crime scene was so grotesque that it drew widespread condemnation and became one of the most infamous cases in Irish criminal history.

During the trial, Scott displayed no remorse for his actions. Prosecutors described him as “repugnant,” warning the jury that the details of his crime would be deeply disturbing. It was revealed that Scott had admitted to police that he had gagged and bound Sylvia to a bed before injecting her with insulin, believing she had consented to the bizarre ritual because she had not explicitly refused. The young girl died from asphyxiation, struggling for breath while strapped to the bed with ropes.

Following her death, Scott hid Sylvia’s body in his loft overnight. The next day, he took her to the bathroom to wash away any evidence of their relationship before dismembering her. Along with Rigby and a 17-year-old schoolboy, Scott buried her remains under a house under construction on Circular Road in Omagh.

His heinous acts earned him a reputation as one of the most feared prisoners in the Irish penal system. Even paramilitary figure Johnny ‘Mad Dog’ Adair was reportedly wary of him. As Scott’s parole date approached, he sent a letter to Sylvia Fleming’s grieving family, expressing supposed remorse for his actions and promising never to return to Omagh, so they would not have to face him again. However, the family’s pain remained unalleviated, and their loss continues to be felt deeply.

Last week, Scott’s attempt to blend back into society was exposed when he was seen stripping off in the sunshine to paint his mother’s fence, assisted by another young man. When questioned about his identity, he retreated into his mother’s house, only to re-emerge after trimming his thick beard. His physical appearance, including his muscular build and a distinctive bulldog tattoo on his left arm, made him easily recognizable. Within hours, graffiti appeared outside his mother’s home, with the words ‘Stephen Scott Child Killer’ spray-painted over the freshly painted fence.

The community’s outrage was palpable, with the incident sparking three nights of rioting in Omagh. Local residents, many of whom are relatives of suspects, were driven to violence, with some being forced out of their homes by fire.

Reflecting on Sylvia Fleming’s tragic death, her sister Josie expressed her pain and suspicion about Scott’s influence over her sister. “I did not like him at all, I knew that there was something about him. I knew he had control over her,” she said. She recounted the devastating moment when police informed her that they had found part of Sylvia’s body, describing her shock and heartbreak. “We were devastated. We couldn’t believe what we were being told – I’ve lost my baby sister.”

Scott, now 40, is scheduled for full release in October. Details of his release conditions remain unclear, but it is believed he will be required to notify his probation officer if he intends to enter into any relationship with a woman.

In a related case from November 2000, Scott’s crimes were further condemned when a judge described him as a “thoroughly evil man” during his sentencing for dismembering Sylvia Fleming’s body. He was given an additional five-year sentence for the gruesome disposal of her remains, on top of his life sentence for her murder. The judge emphasized the brutality of the crime, stating that the manner of her killing and subsequent body disposal was so revolting that it would disturb any reasonable person. Scott’s accomplices, including a 17-year-old juvenile and Paul Rigby, received lesser sentences but were also held accountable for their roles in the crime.

Judge Kerr highlighted Scott’s manipulative influence over his co-conspirators, especially noting Rigby’s role in leading police to Sylvia’s remains. He described Rigby as “a thoroughly weak and ineffectual person,” easily swayed by Scott’s control, partly due to his lack of a paternal figure. Despite their vulnerabilities, the judge made it clear that their participation in such a ghastly crime could not be excused. The sentences, though considered lenient by some, were deemed appropriate given the circumstances, and the judge underscored the profound grief suffered by Sylvia Fleming’s family.