The family of a man who was gunned down outside his home in a contract killing 13 years ago has been awarded more than €750,000 damages by the High Court.

Since the day she suffered a heart attack as her husband of 27 years bled to death outside their backdoor after he was gunned down, there has been one thing that kept Margaret Madden going — the fight for justice.

The widow of a Co Sligo man who was gunned down in 1999 has been awarded nearly €750,000 in a long legal battle against the men responsible for his murder.

In what is believed to be the first case of its kind, a woman is suing the men who were involved in the contract killing of her husband 13 years ago.