Senior NI Coroner John Leckey

NORTHERN Ireland’s most senior coroner said today he is “incredulous” that bullet casings from the UFF murder of a Catholic postman were now lost.

The inquest into Danny McColgan was hit by at least 11 rounds as he went to work at a postal sorting office at Rathcoole on the northern outskirts of Belfast in 2002.

The murder was later claimed by the Red Hand Defenders, a cover name for the UFF.

The UFF’s south east Antrim brigade led by John ‘Grug’ Gregg had carried out the killing in a bid to stoke out sectarian tensions.

Mr McColgan’s killers still walk the streets of the Rathcoole estate.

Senior coroner John Leckey said he could make no finding on whether those who planned the murder knew a security camera which could have captured the incident was not working.

He added: “It must be a matter of great concern that exhibits in an unsolved murder should have disappeared.

“I am really incredulous that that should have happened.”

The 20-year-old father-of-one was hit multiple times in the head and body, at least once while he lay face down on the ground, the coroner said.

Nobody has been convicted of the shooting.

Mr Leckey added: “I hope very much that those responsible for Daniel’s murder will be apprehended.”

He said because of forensic evidence people could be made amenable long after the event.

“I hope very much that Daniel’s murderers will be held to account.”

He said Mr McColgan was a totally innocent victim of a brutal, sectarian murder.