Father murdered after birthday party

A father-of-three was stabbed to death as he returned home from celebrating his daughter’s 18th birthday, it emerged tonight.

Named locally as Eamon Hughes, he was knifed in the chest after being confronted by a gang of young men outside his home in Dungannon, Northern Ireland.

His son, who attempted to stop the attack, was badly wounded in the arm as the attackers also shot a crossbow bolt.

Locals, who described the scene in the mainly nationalist area of Lisnahull as a battlefield, said the murder may have been linked to an earlier row as the Hughes family celebrated.

Mr Hughes’ father Frank, a taxi driver, was murdered by loyalist paramilitaries in 1990.

Tommy Gallagher, SDLP MLA from the area, who knew the family, said it was a terrible tragedy.

“The news has left the neighbourhood shocked and saddened,” he said.

“It’s bad enough the link with his father’s murder, but then there’s the fact that the family were celebrating the birthday.”

Two women who were at the scene at around 2am were run over and suffered injuries to their legs when the assailants tried to flee the Lisnahull area in a stolen car.

Several people have been arrested over the murder.

Mr Hughes, 48, had returned home from a pub in the town with a number of friends when the attack took place.

It is understood a group of young men had been involved in a confrontation with partygoers earlier in the night and may have been waiting for the family to return home.

Locals suggested at least three young men were in cars near the family home and confronted Mr Hughes. It is suspected stolen taxis were used by the gang.

Mr Gallagher said the Hughes family were well known in Dungannon and Eamon was widely regarded as a good neighbour, supporting the local community and doing charity work.

Mayor of Dungannon and South Tyrone Lord Maurice Morrow branded the murder horrific.

“I understand the victim was brutally knifed. Another death by mindless thugs; another family grieving,” the Democratic Unionist MLA said.

“Knives are appearing in society all too often and do deadly effect. It is crucial they, and more importantly those who use them, are taken off the streets - and that cannot come too soon.”

The MP for the area, Sinn Féin’s Michelle Gildernew, added her condemnation.

“This murder must be condemned in the strongest possible terms; my thoughts and those of party members throughout Tyrone are with this poor man’s family,” she said.

“I want to make a direct appeal to anyone who may have witnessed or have any information about this murder to bring it forward to the PSNI.

“This was a brutal murder and we must work to ensure that those responsible are brought to justice.”

The PSNI and local politicians appealed for anyone who has any information or was near the scene to come forward.

Detectives spent most of the day in the Lisnahull estate carrying out forensic checks and interviewing locals.

Around 1,200 knife-related crimes occur in the North every year.