A friend hugs a son of Kevin McDaid at the scene of the murder of Kevin McDaid in Coleraine

Locals claimed a loyalist “lynch mob” descended on the Heights area of Coleraine in taxis and cars intent on killing a Catholic.

The fatal assault on community worker Kevin McDaid (46), described as “someone who would do anything for anybody”, has left the close-knit community completely stunned.

A plasterer by trade but interested in building community relations, Kevin McDaid strived to make the area a better place for those living in the socially deprived, mixed estate. He was attacked while trying to prevent his children from being caught up in the trouble that flared following Sunday’s Rangers and Celtic football matches.

Throughout yesterday a steady stream of ashen-faced mourners arrived at the police cordon at the edge of terraced row where Mr McDaid, his wife Evelyn and three of their four sons lived. Most people couldn’t comprehend what happened.

Kevin Mr McDaid, described as hard-working and popular, was beaten and jumped on about the head just yards from his house at Somerset Drive. He managed to stagger a few yards but collapsed and died almost on his back doorstep. His eldest son Ryan (22) who had seen the attack found him lying on the ground.

Fighting back tears he said his father’s face had been totally battered, all his teeth were knocked out and he was bleeding badly.

He said: “I was there when it happened. We heard screaming and shouting and Damien Fleming was lying on the ground. There was a gang of about 70 people arrived, they came up in cars and taxis and jumped out.

“We were totally outnumbered. There was nothing we could do, they were local UDA members.”

Belfast Telegraph