ONE OF the men accused of killing Catholic youth worker Kevin McDaid was refused High Court bail in Belfast yesterday amid concerns about possible interference with witnesses.
Christopher McDowell (33) is charged with murdering the father of four in Coleraine, Co Derry just over two weeks ago.
Mr McDaid (49) was beaten to death after a drunken mob of up to 30 people left a bar to go on a sectarian rampage through a nationalist part of the town, the court heard.
McDowell, of Glebe Avenue, Coleraine, is among 10 suspects accused over the attack on May 24th. He is also charged with the attempted murder of another local Catholic man, Damien Fleming, who was assaulted and seriously injured.
During his application for bail it was claimed that five witnesses in the case are under threat.
Two of them have received police warnings that their lives are in danger while another three were said to have received direct threats telling them to leave Coleraine.
It was alleged in court that an orchestrated assault was launched on the Heights area because Tricolours had been flown.
Attempts to defuse tensions in the town on the day of the killing, which came after Rangers beat Celtic to claim the Scottish Premier League title, were also disclosed. The prosecution said community liaison efforts were made before a crowd quit a pub and headed for the Heights. It was claimed at least one was wielding a weapon – possibly a baton or stick.
Witness statements alleged there were chants of “UDA” as the attack was being carried out.
McDowell’s lawyers disputed the murder charge, pointing out that a heart attack appeared to have caused Mr McDaid’s death.
Mr Justice Treacy was told the accused was prepared to live under virtual house arrest.
But the judge refused to grant bail. He said the seriousness of the charges, combined with the strength of the evidence and allegations of witness intimidation pointed to a risk of possible interference with the course of justice.