Six on murder charge after loyalist attack in Northern Ireland

Published on Thursday 28 May 2009 22:03

THE Catholic cross-community worker killed by a loyalist mob in Northern Ireland suffered a fatal heart attack while being beaten, a court heard yesterday.

The results of a post-mortem examination were revealed when six men appeared charged with his murder. They all deny murdering father of four Kevin McDaid, 49, in Coleraine, Co Londonderry, last Sunday.

They, and another two men, also deny the attempted murder of Damien Fleming, 46.

Some were charged with assault – Mr McDaid's widow was also attacked.

The accused appeared one after the other handcuffed to guards at Ballymena Magistrates' Court, where the judge was told all denied all charges.

In total, nine men faced 20 charges. They were: Aaron Beech, 23; David Craig Cochrane,18; David James Cochrane, 47; Frank Daly, 48; Christopher McDowell, 33; Paul Newman, 40; Ivan McDowell, 42, John McGrath, 50; and John Thompson, 29, all of Coleraine. They were remanded in custody to 8 June.