Police 'could have stopped' McDaid killing

The sectarian attack that saw a Protestant mob beat a Catholic man to death in the North could have been prevented by police, the victim’s family claimed today.

Kevin McDaid, 49, was killed when a loyalist gang attacked Catholics in the Somerset Drive area of Coleraine, Co Derry, when violence flared after Rangers beat Celtic to the Scottish Premier League title on Sunday.

Mr McDaid’s family has lodged a complaint with the Police Ombudsman claiming that officers in negotiations with loyalists prior to the attack were warned there would be violence if loyalist demands on the day were not met.

And while the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) Chief Constable Hugh Orde has already referred the case to the Ombudsman, the McDaid family today claimed the Catholic community was not given adequate protection.

Six men were charged yesterday with Mr McDaid’s murder during a series of court appearances at Ballymena. The suspects denied the charge.

They, and another two men, also denied the attempted murder of Damien Fleming, 46, who was critically injured in the attack.

Today the McDaid family issued a statement which said: “The family do seek to make a formal complaint to the Police Ombudsman.

“We are appreciative that of his own volition the Chief Constable has already referred this matter to the Police Ombudsman for investigation.

“Kevin’s murder should not have occurred and these tragic circumstances surrounding his murder and the attack on Damien Fleming need not have occurred.”

The PSNI has already defended the handling of events on Sunday, but today it said it could not comment further since the issues were now being examined by the Ombudsman.

Officers have said they were involved in talks with members of the Catholic and Protestant communities in Coleraine on Sunday in a bid to defuse tensions before violence flared.

But today Mr McDaid’s relatives added: “The family are concerned that the PSNI were involved in negotiations with a number of persons perceived to be from the loyalist community on Sunday May 24.

“There are concerns regarding the nature of these negotiations and the attendant risk that threats were made by individuals from this background to police that unless certain conditions were met or adhered to there was a risk of violence.

“It is a fundamental tenet of society that individuals such as these should not bear undue influence and dictate the terms of law and order.

“We are further concerned that given the knowledge of the threat, we and our neighbours were not properly protected.

“We want the community to support the police, but police must also support the community.

“In the aftermath of this heinous murder and given the fragility of Mr Fleming’s condition, tensions are extremely high.

“A further death threat has also been served on our family.

“This should not be the legacy of Kevin’s death and it is not what he would have wanted.

“Kevin lived helping others, trying to bridge the divide that exists in our community and trying to join it together, in death it should not be pushed further apart.”

The family thanked the officers who came to Mr McDaid’s aid and praised the efforts of hospital staff to help the injured.

Meanwhile police are questioning another man today about the murder.

The 33-year-old being quizzed is one of two men arrested yesterday in connection with Sunday’s killing.

A 53-year-old man was released on bail last night pending further inquiries.

Mr McDaid’s widow was also attacked by the mob on Sunday, as was a pregnant neighbour.

The men who were charged yesterday were aged between 18 and 50.

They appeared one after the other handcuffed to guards at Ballymena Magistrates’ Court where district judge Philip Mateer was told all denied the charges.

They were remanded in custody to reappear at Coleraine Magistrates’ Court by video link on June 8.

More than 30 armed riot police ringed more than 70 loyalists who filled the public benches as the men appeared.

The McDaid family today added: “The family are grateful to members of the PSNI who attended to Kevin after this horrific assault and who attempted to administer CPR as he lay dying at our feet.

“We would appeal to all persons to assist the police investigation into this murder and the attack on Damien Fleming in whatever way possible.

“The people involved in this murderous attack and who entered Somerset Drive on Sunday night do not deserve any form of protection, nor are they friends of any community.”

Meanwhile the Irish Congress of Trade Unions (ICTU) has backed plans by the Derry Trades Council to hold an anti-sectarianism rally in the city today.

ICTU President Patricia McKeown said: “A few short weeks ago in public demonstrations laid by the trade union movement in response to the murders of two soldiers (Sappers Mark Quinsey and Patrick Azimkar) and PSNI Constable Stephen Carroll the Irish Congress of Trade Unions stated that there could be no going back.

“Equally while this society continues to be riven by sectarian hatred there can be no moving forward.

“Kevin McDaid was murdered because he was a Catholic. His colleague was seriously injured because he was a Catholic and his wife was badly beaten because she was a Protestant married to a Catholic.

“This is sectarian hate crime of the worst degree.

“It cannot be dismissed as the work of hoodlums. The police and the judiciary must see it for what it is. We need the rule of law enforced.”

She also called for a clear response from the Northern Ireland Executive.

“Words of condemnation must be matched in actions and resources particularly at community level to challenge sectarian divisions if our society is to move forward,” she said.