POLICE IN THE North have issued a fresh appeal for information about the death of a 42-year-old father-of-five who was shot and killed by a group of masked men in January last year.
Brian McIlhagga, who worked as a plasterer, was beaten by the gang at a house in Riverview Park, Ballymoney just before 10.30pm on 5 January 2015. He was then shot in both legs outside the house and died at the scene.
A 33-year-old woman who lived in the house was also assaulted by the gang, and four children in the property were left traumatised by the attack.
Investigators say they believe they are close to bringing those responsible before the courts, but that the paramilitary involvement in the killing may be discouraging people with information from talking to police.
The attackers are believed to have made off along a walkway running along Riverview Park in the direction of the town’s train station.
Brian McIlhagga was a friend of the woman who lived in the house and had been a visitor in the months leading up to the attack.
Issuing the PSNI’s latest appeal exactly a year on from the killing Detective Chief Inspector Michael Harvey said it had been a challenging 12 months.
“Our thoughts today are foremost with Brian’s family, his five children, his parents and friends. We are also mindful of the four children in the Riverview Park house last year and their ordeal.
I would ask people to think about the level of violence used in Brian’s murder: three young children all under the age of 13 were upstairs in the house; there was a 13-year-old downstairs in the living room when four individuals came into the house, masked and armed. They came in through the front door and Brian was viciously and brutally assaulted in the kitchen.
“The injuries sustained in that initial attack would themselves have been life-changing. They then removed him from the house and shot him in both knees with a shotgun.
“The level of violence and brutality in this attack far exceeds anything I’ve experienced in 29 years of police service. One would have to ask why such a level of brutality was used.
There was certainly paramilitary involvement in this attack but another line of enquiry is that there may well have been some sort of personal grudge as well.
Despite making 12 arrests and conducting numerous searches, police have so far been unable to bring those responsible before a court.
“One of the most disappointing aspects of this inquiry to date has been the lack of people who have come forward,” DCI Harvey said.
“To those who have, I thank them. But I would ask others to place themselves in the shoes of those young children in the house that night. Those children would have heard those screams of fear and those violent injuries being inflicted. That is going to affect them for the rest of their lives. The 13-year-old would have had some sight of Brian lying injured in the front garden.
The officer said that the “shadow of paramilitary involvement” in the incident may be putting people off from coming forward.
He said those with information should put themselves in the place of the children in the house, Brian’s own children, his family and friends.
“It is important for people to come forward. I would say we are tantalisingly close to placing the offenders before a court.
Nothing justifies this murder in any way whatsoever.
“This is a very challenging and complex investigation. I believe we have identified the suspects who attacked Brian and I believe we have identified a group of other individuals who were on the periphery of that attack and I would appeal to all members of the community, to anyone with any information, to come forward and help us to bridge that evidential gap, to cross that line and place those people before the courts.
“People know who was involved. People know where they went afterwards. They haven’t come forward. There are people protecting those killers. I would appeal to those with information, no matter how small, to contact detectives.
“For as long as those responsible for this attack remain at large, there is a possible threat to anyone in the north Antrim area. This was a vicious, brutal and sustained attack on a man who was visiting his friend.
It is unusual for a town like Ballymoney and I understand how the community is shocked by what has happened. But I need people to think again about the events of 12 months ago, their impact on the McIlhagga family and Brian’s wider circle of friends. The family needs closure and the community deserves justice.
“I want to appeal to anyone who saw or heard anything in the area of the murder at Riverview Park and additionally in the area of Raceview Drive, Meadow View and Armour Avenue in Ballymoney between 10pm and 11pm on the night of Monday 5 January last year to contact police.
I want to hear from anyone who saw men or vehicles moving in and around the area. It is not too late to do the right thing.
Anyone with information is being asked to contact detectives at Maydown on 101 or to contact the independent Crimestoppers charity on 0800 555 111.
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