Background
David Templeton was born in Larne. In 1976 he had a kidney transplant, the donor being his mother.
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David Templeton
Edit ProfileEducation
Queen"s University Belfast. Ulster University.
Career
After leaving school he had worked as a civil servant. After further studies he was ordained in 1985. As a minister he was a regular contributor to radio broadcasts on Downtown Radio and the British Broadcasting Corporation.
On 7 February, 1997 three men wearing balaclavas entered his home in north Belfast, Northern Ireland, and beat him with baseball bats with spikes driven through them.
Following the attack, which had the elements of a paramilitary punishment beating, Templeton was found with a fractured jaw, fractures to both legs and multiple cuts and abrasions to his arms and legs.
At the time of the attack, he was one of Northern Ireland"s longest surviving kidney transplantees. He remained in hospital for several weeks, but was then released as he appeared to be recovering.
Unfortunately he died on 24 March after suffering a heart attack caused by thrombosis due to his immobility after the attack. He was 43 years old. He was buried in Larne, County Antrim.
Number group has claimed responsibility for his murder, but it is widely believed that the assault was carried out by elements of the Ulster Volunteer Force, a loyalist paramilitary group.
When the attack took place, Templeton was living in the Ballyduff estate in Newtownabbey. Templeton co-operated with the authorities and acknowledged that he had purchased the video quite legally from a high street chain store while he was on holiday in Amsterdam. After investigation, including a search of his church manse, the Royal Ulster Constabulary determined to take no further action.
A customs official subsequently approached the Sunday newspaper and received payment for detailing the incident and revealing Templeton"s identity.
Following exposure by the press, he stood down as Minister of his congregation, having been told by congregational leaders that his position was untenable. Left without a home, he moved into a rented council house in the Ballyduff estate while exploring alternative career opportunities.
In 2002, David Templeton"s murder was re-examined using the latest forensic science techniques, but this did not lead to any arrests. In 2004, Johnston Brown, a retired detective sergeant, claimed that the RUC covered up murders by Mark Haddock, a UVF commander and RUC informer.
Templeton identified Haddock in hospital as his assailant.
In January 2007, the Police Ombudsman issued a report implicating several special branch officers in failing to act on evidence that linked an informer to at least ten murders, but contrary to earlier press speculation the murder of David Templeton was not one of those mentioned, although it did state that further cases are being investigated. To date, no-one has ever been arrested in relation to the murder of David Templeton.
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Born
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Died
March 24, 1977 (aged 23) -
Nationality
United Kingdom