Attack on McDaid family home
The family home of Kevin McDaid has been targeted in a sectarian attack.
Tuesday, 18 August 2009
SDLP MLA John Dallat said he had been told by police that the home of the catholic community worker was one of two in the Heights area of Coleraine that was targeted in the early hours of Tuesday.
Ten people have been charged over Mr McDaid's killing in May, including six with the murder.
Nationalist politicians claim there has been a continuing campaign by loyalists to intimidate witnesses.
'Pitiful'
Mr Dallat said: "This year has seen a litany of sectarian attacks in Coleraine, with the murder of Kevin McDaid being the most notorious and most sickening.
"Now we hear the disgusting news that two homes in the Heights area, one of which was that belonging to the McDaid family, have been targeted by bottle wielding thugs."
The East Derry MLA added: "Those responsible for hurling Buckfast bottles at the McDaid family home are no more than pitiful cretins.
"Not content with that they then proceeded to family friends of the McDaids and broke a window there."
Sinn Fein Coleraine councillor Billy Leonard demanded an end to the intimidation.
He said: "In both cases they arrived by car and they knew exactly the homes they wanted to hit.
"There are young children in these houses and they have obviously been frightened by the incidents."
Mr McDaid was murdered and Damien Fleming critically injured and left in a coma when loyalists stormed the mainly Catholic Heights area after Rangers beat Celtic to the Scottish Premier League football title.
Mr Leonard said: "Kevin McDaid's name has been cynically chanted by loyalists at the fringes of the Heights and Catholics have been subjected to verbal intimidation when simply in the town centre shopping.
"On some occasions witnesses to Kevin's murder have been singled out."
© Press Association