3 July 1997 Edition
Jury hears details of O'Hagan family terror
Details of the UVF murder of Kathleen O'Hagan, (38), and her unborn baby, in August 1994, were disclosed last week to Omagh Coroner's Court. The attack, later claimed by the Mid-Ulster UVF, was intended for husband Patrick O'Hagan, who was out when the murders occurred.
Three of the O'Hagan's children supplied written evidence, detailing how they overheard the events of Sunday 7 August.
Patrick (8), Damien (7), and Niall (6) informed the court they overheard their mother pleading ``Don't, Don't'', before hearing loud bangs, which meant their pregnant mother had been shot. It emerged the gunman then riddled the wall over the head of the O'Hagan couple's 15 month old son Thomas, who was screaming in his cot.
The children revealed they went into their parents' bedroom where they discovered Kathleen and, afraid to use the phone lest they become targets, they hid under the bedclothes until their father returned.
Their father revealed his sons ran screaming at him, ``Bad boys were here and broke the glass. Mummy's shot and she's in heaven.''
The double murder came at the end of a long period of harassment for the family from the crown forces including physical assaults on Patrick O'Hagan, and on one occasion a JCB being used to help dismantle part of the family home.
The suspicious nature of the murder, and apparent reluctance of the RUC to properly respond prompted the nationalist community in the area to surmise the attack was a deliberate warning to nationalist residents in the Tyrone area.
The RUC took two and a half hours to respond to O'Hagan's call informing them of the attack, allowing the killers enough time to escape, and the follow-up search, using a helicopter, failed to spot the burning getaway car, which had been left just a mile away. It was later discovered by local residents. The obscure location convinced locals the killers were unconcerned about a clear escape route. Furthermore, given the apparent length of time the killers waited for him to return, Patrick O'Hagan remains convinced they were oblivious to detection by the crown forces.
The inquest heard the gun had been used before, though no-one had ever been apprehended for the murder, despite witness evidence of suspicious activity of the car used by the UVF near the couple's home.
Three of the O'Hagan's children supplied written evidence, detailing how they overheard the events of Sunday 7 August.
Patrick (8), Damien (7), and Niall (6) informed the court they overheard their mother pleading ``Don't, Don't'', before hearing loud bangs, which meant their pregnant mother had been shot. It emerged the gunman then riddled the wall over the head of the O'Hagan couple's 15 month old son Thomas, who was screaming in his cot.
The children revealed they went into their parents' bedroom where they discovered Kathleen and, afraid to use the phone lest they become targets, they hid under the bedclothes until their father returned.
Their father revealed his sons ran screaming at him, ``Bad boys were here and broke the glass. Mummy's shot and she's in heaven.''
The double murder came at the end of a long period of harassment for the family from the crown forces including physical assaults on Patrick O'Hagan, and on one occasion a JCB being used to help dismantle part of the family home.
The suspicious nature of the murder, and apparent reluctance of the RUC to properly respond prompted the nationalist community in the area to surmise the attack was a deliberate warning to nationalist residents in the Tyrone area.
The RUC took two and a half hours to respond to O'Hagan's call informing them of the attack, allowing the killers enough time to escape, and the follow-up search, using a helicopter, failed to spot the burning getaway car, which had been left just a mile away. It was later discovered by local residents. The obscure location convinced locals the killers were unconcerned about a clear escape route. Furthermore, given the apparent length of time the killers waited for him to return, Patrick O'Hagan remains convinced they were oblivious to detection by the crown forces.
The inquest heard the gun had been used before, though no-one had ever been apprehended for the murder, despite witness evidence of suspicious activity of the car used by the UVF near the couple's home.