SEFF remembers Derek Ferguson, 30, Protestant, married with 4 children, formerly been a member of the UDR for a short time, a joiner from Aughaveagh Rd, Coagh. Co Tyrone where he was building a new house, murdered by PIRA on 9/4/91.

Derek was lying on the settee when 2 IRA men..

..broke into his home. One of them appeared at the glass door & was shouting at him. He broke through the door, walked over to him & shot him in front of his 2 sons, aged 6 & 7. His other 2 children, aged 3 & 1, were sleeping.

Derek's 7yr old son told the inquest that the

..gunman asked his father if his name was Derek. When his father said he was, the gunman said: "bye, bye Derek" & shot him.
The boys were left alone in the house with their father's body. His eldest son called his grandmother & said: "Nanna, would you come & mind us, for a bad..

.. man has shot my daddy dead". Derek's wife had just left their mobile home & when family members arrived at the home, they found the boys screaming & splattered with blood. The attack happened around 10:00pm.
Scurrilously PIRA stated that it was responsible & that Derek was ...

.. in the UVF". Both Police & UVF dismissed these claims.
The clear intent from PIRA was to retrospectively justify murder committed for sectarian reasons as being otherwise motivated.
Our thoughts & prayers are with all innocents impacted by the brutal callous murder of Derek.