Northern Ireland

Paul McCauley's murderer admits he has caused 'heartache and suffering'

Piper John McClements, previously known as Daryl Proctor, is to be sentenced for the murder of Paul McCauley in Derry
Piper John McClements, previously known as Daryl Proctor, is to be sentenced for the murder of Paul McCauley in Derry Piper John McClements, previously known as Daryl Proctor, is to be sentenced for the murder of Paul McCauley in Derry

A CONVICTED murderer who has already served a jail term for the sectarian attack which left his victim in a vegetative state has said he is aware of the "heartache and suffering I have caused".

In the first case of its kind, Piper John McClements (28) from Derry's Fountain estate is to be sentenced for murder after already serving a 13-year term for grievous bodily harm with intent.

In September, McClements was convicted of the murder of Catholic civil servant Paul McCauley at a barbecue on Chapel Road in the Waterside area of the city on July 16 2005.

The father-of-one spent the next nine years in a vegetative state and died on June 6 2016.

Awaiting sentence with McClements - originally jailed under his former name of Daryl Proctor - is Matthew Brian Gillen (31) of Bond Street in the city.

Gillen was originally charged with Mr McCauley's murder but later pleaded guilty to the lesser charge of manslaughter.

He will also be sentenced for injuring two of Mr McCauley's friends as a gang of loyalists stormed the barbecue.

After a lengthy tariff hearing yesterday, Mr Justice Colton adjourned sentencing after hearing of the devastating affects on Mr McCauley's family during the nine years he spent in Longfield Care Home in Eglinton.

The judge, sitting in Belfast's Crown Court, said he wanted "to give very careful consideration to all that I have heard and I will give the sentence in the very near future".

During yesterday's hearing, the court heard that Mr McCauley's death had had an "enormous" impact on his family.

Murder victim Paul McCauley
Murder victim Paul McCauley Murder victim Paul McCauley

Prosecuting barrister Ciaran Murphy said the civil servant was murdered "for no other reason other than the fact he was a Catholic".

As the family sat in the public gallery, they heard a letter written by McClements in which he expressed his "deepest sympathy and condolences" to the McCauleys.

"I cannot begin to comprehend the effect my actions," he wrote.

"I am fully aware of the heartache and suffering I have caused... it's a burden I carry on a daily basis."

Mr McCauley's daughter spoke of being robbed of her father "for no good reason".

Her mother described watching her daughter try to communicate with her unresponsive father as "truly heartbreaking".

The victim's father James - who lost his wife to cancer the year after his son died - spoke of the joy Mr McCauley brought to their family.

Mr McCauley's sister Joanne said the family's lives "have been shattered by a senseless and selfish act", while his other sister Emma said her brother "didn't deserve to suffer for 10 long years."

Matthew Gillen during an earlier hearing in Derry. Picture by Margaret McLaughlin
Matthew Gillen during an earlier hearing in Derry. Picture by Margaret McLaughlin Matthew Gillen during an earlier hearing in Derry. Picture by Margaret McLaughlin

The deceased's brother David said he will "never forget" seeing Mr McCauley in hospital for the first time after the attack, adding: "The image will haunt me for the rest of my life".

It also emerged for the first time yesterday why the gang of loyalists ended up on Chapel Road.

The court heard that hours before the attack there was a sectarian incident on Nelson Drive and that around six to 10 people travelled from the Fountain for retribution.

The gang initially planned to travel to the Waterside and remove a tricolour from outside the lamp-post of a bar on the Old Strabane Road.

However, at around 3.30am the gang came across Mr McCauley and his friends and attacked them.

One of those attacked has muscular dystrophy and had his jaw broken.

Mr McCauley suffered a fractured skull, swelling and a bleed on the brain. He never recovered from the traumatic brain injury.

A state pathologist later stated the head injuries he sustained were consistent with being kicked on the right side of the head or stamped upon.

The court heard that when McClements was first arrested he denied he was involved, even though Mr McCauley's blood was found on his trainers.

In a series of subsequent recorded conversations, he said he was "always up for a fight" and that he "went in to some boy's back garden when he was having a barbecue and kicked the f*** out of him... I kicked the f*** out of Taigs".

Co-accused Gillen told police "there were three of them and I put all three of them down".

The court heard he pleaded to manslaughter on the grounds that he participated in the unlawful attack.

Turlough Montague, representing Gillen, branded the incident as "tragic and inexcusable" but said his client never intended to inflict or cause injuries.

Both McClements and Gillen were remanded back into custody.