Police face probe in outcry at loyalist murder

NEW controversy flared over the sectarian murder of a Catholic community worker last night amid allegations of witness intimidation and claims from the dead man's family that police failed to protect him.

Kevin McDaid (49) died after a loyalist gang attacked him in Coleraine, Co Derry, last Sunday.

Violence had earlier erupted after Rangers beat Celtic to the Scottish Premier League title.

Mr McDaid's family yesterday lodged a complaint with the independent Police Ombudsman claiming PSNI officers did not do enough to prevent attacks on the Catholic community in the town.

PSNI Assistant Chief Constable Judith Gillespie insisted police had worked hard to ease tensions on the day of the murder and had been quickly on the scene following the attack on Mr McDaid.

Meanwhile, Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness, who is seeking a meeting with the British government to discuss the incident, accused UDA paramilitaries of intimidating witnesses to the murder.

That follows a death threat from loyalists to one of the dead man's sons just 48 hours after the killing.

Six men have been charged with the murder during a series of court appearances at Ballymena. The suspects, who are in custody, denied all the accusations.

Injured

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

Mr McDaid's family claim PSNI officers who were in negotiations with loyalists before the fatal attack were warned there would be violence if demands -- thought to relate to the removal of Tricolours -- were not met.

But despite that, the family said police failed properly to protect the people who were later targeted.

While the police defended their handling of events, Chief Constable Sir Hugh Orde has already referred it to the Police Ombudsman for an independent investigation.

Yesterday 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."