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| Kevin McDaid Coleraine case: Men admit lesser charges | |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| Seven out of 12 men charged in connection with the death of a Catholic community worker have had manslaughter and attempted murder charges dropped. | |
| Kevin McDaid, 49, died after he was attacked outside his Somerset Drive home in Coleraine in May 2009. | Kevin McDaid, 49, died after he was attacked outside his Somerset Drive home in Coleraine in May 2009. |
| There had been tensions in the Heights area over flags at the time. | There had been tensions in the Heights area over flags at the time. |
| The trial was told the serious charges would not be proceeded with, as the men had pleaded guilty to lesser offences. | The trial was told the serious charges would not be proceeded with, as the men had pleaded guilty to lesser offences. |
| All seven men were released on bail. | |
| Three of them pleaded guilty to charges including grievous bodily harm (GBH): | |
| Four of them pleaded guilty to affray: | Four of them pleaded guilty to affray: |
| Prosecution lawyers told Belfast Crown Court the more serious charges should be left on the books. | Prosecution lawyers told Belfast Crown Court the more serious charges should be left on the books. |
| The trial of five other men on manslaughter and murder charges has been getting under way. | |
| Two other men had appeared in the dock to face lesser charges. | Two other men had appeared in the dock to face lesser charges. |
| One of them, Johnathon Stirling, 25, of Windyhall Park, Coleraine, pleaded guilty to threats to harm. | |
| A charge of making threats to kill will be left on the books, and he was released on continuing bail. | A charge of making threats to kill will be left on the books, and he was released on continuing bail. |
| The other, John Freeman, 24, of Sunderland Road, Belfast, changed his plea to guilty on charges of intimidation of a witness and common assault | The other, John Freeman, 24, of Sunderland Road, Belfast, changed his plea to guilty on charges of intimidation of a witness and common assault |