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| Widow appeals for no retaliation | Widow appeals for no retaliation |
| (20 minutes later) | |
| The widow of a man beaten to death by a sectarian gang in Coleraine has said her husband would not want retaliation. | The widow of a man beaten to death by a sectarian gang in Coleraine has said her husband would not want retaliation. |
| Kevin Brendan McDaid, 49, a Catholic father of four, was attacked and beaten by a loyalist mob close to his home in the Somerset Drive area on Sunday. | |
| Nine men are being questioned by police about the murder. | |
| Damian Fleming, 46, was also assaulted. He is in a critical but stable condition in hospital. | Damian Fleming, 46, was also assaulted. He is in a critical but stable condition in hospital. |
| Police said Mr McDaid was "brutally beaten by a sectarian mob". | Police said Mr McDaid was "brutally beaten by a sectarian mob". |
| Mr McDaid's widow, Evelyn, said her family had been left "devastated" by the murder. | Mr McDaid's widow, Evelyn, said her family had been left "devastated" by the murder. |
| "He was my life, he was a very loving father and a great man," she said. | "He was my life, he was a very loving father and a great man," she said. |
| Mrs McDaid was herself beaten as she tried to protect her husband. She suffered a head injury, two black eyes and was given a brain scan to ensure there were no other injuries. | Mrs McDaid was herself beaten as she tried to protect her husband. She suffered a head injury, two black eyes and was given a brain scan to ensure there were no other injuries. |
| Describing the moments of the attack, she said: "I ran across to help him. They beat me while they beat him. | Describing the moments of the attack, she said: "I ran across to help him. They beat me while they beat him. |
| "My neighbour had to step in to save me. She was pregnant and they beat her. She shouted 'I'm pregnant,' but they didn't care. | "My neighbour had to step in to save me. She was pregnant and they beat her. She shouted 'I'm pregnant,' but they didn't care. |
| "My sons tried to work on him. The ambulance was phoned. But he was dead, I knew he was dead. It was his colour and he couldn't breathe. | "My sons tried to work on him. The ambulance was phoned. But he was dead, I knew he was dead. It was his colour and he couldn't breathe. |
| "The people who did this have to be punished. They took my husband's life; they have just destroyed our whole family." | "The people who did this have to be punished. They took my husband's life; they have just destroyed our whole family." |
| They beat me while they beat him. My neighbour had to step in to save me. She was pregnant and they beat her Evelyn McDaid | They beat me while they beat him. My neighbour had to step in to save me. She was pregnant and they beat her Evelyn McDaid |
| Mrs McDaid said those who carried out the attack should be punished. But she said that her husband would not want retaliation. | Mrs McDaid said those who carried out the attack should be punished. But she said that her husband would not want retaliation. |
| "They took my husband's life; they have just destroyed our whole family." | "They took my husband's life; they have just destroyed our whole family." |
| Mr Fleming's son, Brendan, said his father was a lovely man. | Mr Fleming's son, Brendan, said his father was a lovely man. |
| "He is very critical in hospital. There is a 50/50 chance. You would not recognise him if you saw him with all the marks on his face," he said. | "He is very critical in hospital. There is a 50/50 chance. You would not recognise him if you saw him with all the marks on his face," he said. |
| The police increased patrols in the County Londonderry town after further trouble on Monday. | The police increased patrols in the County Londonderry town after further trouble on Monday. |
| Detective Chief Inspector Frankie Taylor said their main line of inquiry was a "sectarian motive". | Detective Chief Inspector Frankie Taylor said their main line of inquiry was a "sectarian motive". |
| He said Mr McDaid was a youth worker who had tried to bring both sides of the community together and was "well-known and well-liked". | He said Mr McDaid was a youth worker who had tried to bring both sides of the community together and was "well-known and well-liked". |
| He said the police had been in the area at the time of the attack and had been aware of disturbances after the football matches. | He said the police had been in the area at the time of the attack and had been aware of disturbances after the football matches. |
| The police are looking at the possibility that tensions had risen in the area after Irish tricolours had been put up on lampposts. | The police are looking at the possibility that tensions had risen in the area after Irish tricolours had been put up on lampposts. |
| Inspector Taylor said the attack on Mr Fleming was being treated as attempted murder. | Inspector Taylor said the attack on Mr Fleming was being treated as attempted murder. |
| "We may very well be looking at a second murder here," he said. | "We may very well be looking at a second murder here," he said. |