€750,000 for family of murder victim

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.

The bulk of the award — more than €720,000 — goes to the widow of Terence Madden, who Ms Justice Mary Irvine said was “ruthlessly and gratuitously gunned down” as he stepped into his car just feet from his back door.

Mr Madden, aged 52, bled to death after an artery in his leg was severed when he was shot twice in the early morning ambush at his house in Ballaghadereen, Co Sligo, on Jan 28, 1999.