The wedding that turned to murder

Jim McFadden was beaten to death outside his Shantallow home

When the McFadden family from Derry set off for a wedding in Donegal just over two years ago, they could never have imagined the day would end in murder.

By 3am the following morning, father-of-four Jim McFadden had been fatally wounded, beaten with his daughter's crutch outside his own front door as his wife and children watched.

The 42-year-old from Moyola Drive, Shantallow, died in hospital of a ruptured heart caused by punches and kicks to his chest.

James Meehan, 39, his wife Brenda 42, and her 22-year-old son Sean Devenney, all from Dundrean Park in Galliagh, were today told they will face life sentences for Mr McFadden's murder.

During the lengthy trial, the court heard how both families had been at the wedding reception in Redcastle on 4 May.

Prosecutor John Orr QC said Sean Devenney had insulted Mr McFadden's daughter Aisling, and while he later apologised, there was friction between the two families.

The Meehans seemed to believe they had been slighted by Mr McFadden.

"Wreck it"

The taxi driver who took the Meehan family home told the court that he heard Brenda Meehan say she was "going to Shantallow to wreck it".

The prosecution said the three defendants then changed clothes, claiming they were going to get cigarettes at two o'clock in the morning.

In reality they were heading to Moyola Drive to attack Mr McFadden.

The court heard emotional testimony from his wife Ita, who told how she tried to save her husband's life.

"Jim shouted, 'Help, someone', as he was being attacked."

She said that when she tried to run for help, Brenda Meehan pushed her.

Mrs McFadden's 15-year-old daughter Danielle, who had a broken leg, threw her crutch to her father to help him defend himself.

Their next-door neighbour, Marlene Nangle, told how she heard a commotion outside and looked out of her living room window.

She heard Mrs Meehan shout "You will never hit my son".

Frozen hand

She saw someone lying in her garden close to the hedge, and her partner, Sean Ward, told her it was Mr McFadden.

Ms Nagle said once she was outside she held Jim's hand, "It was frozen," she said.

"Sean was talking to the paramedics on the phone. They were telling him to give him mouth to mouth."

Another neighbour, Martina Robinson, told how members of the victim's family came screaming into her house.

She went into the garden where Mr McFadden was lying, where she saw three youths.

Two of them were saying the rosary, the other had his finger under Mr McFadden's nose and said, "He's not breathing, missus".

During the trail the court heard evidence from Marie Cassidy, the state pathologist in the Republic of Ireland, told the court Mr McFadden, who had lacerations of the left atrium, artery and ventricle, died "fairly rapidly".

Prof Cassidy said she found "no evidence" to indicate some of Mr McFadden's injuries were caused by stamping, and said the fatal injury had already been inflicted before CPR was applied.

On the final day of trial James Meehan failed to turn up at court, a fact that the media were originally unable to report.

Once the guilty verdicts had been returned the judge also issued a warrant for the arrest of Mr Meehan who failed to appear for a second day on Wednesday. In his absence all three were found guilty of the murder.

About 30 relatives and friends of the Mcfadden family held hands as they were told the jury had reached a verdict.

Mr Meehan was also found guilty of assaulting Jason Graham, the boyfriend of Mr McFadden's daughter Ashling.

Brenda Meehan was found found not guilty of assaulting Jason Graham, but guilty of assaulting Ashling McFadden.

Jim's widow, Ita McFadden was embraced as the verdicts were being read out, while the rest of the family cried and cheered.

In a statement the family said they were pleased with the outcome and "hoped and prayed that justice would be done" when sentencing takes place in September.

The family, who described the attack as "the brutal murder of my darling husband, daddy, son and brother," they thanked the PSNI, the prosecution, and paramedics who worked with the dying Jim McFadden at the scene.

Through the statement the family also thanked the people who gave evidence during the six-week trial and the residents of Shantallow for their kindness and support throughout.