Northern Irish man sentenced to 16 years in prison for murder of ex-girlfriend
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Northern Irish man sentenced to 16 years in prison for murder of ex-girlfriend

JUSTICE has finally been granted to a Derry family.

A 56-year-old man has been sentenced to 16 years in prison for the murder of his ex-girlfriend in 2011 at the Derry laundrette she worked in.

58 year old mother of four Marion Millican  was on her lunch break when ex boyfriend Frederick McCleneghan walked into the Derry laundrette she worked in.

McCleneghan proceeded to threaten Millican and a colleague by aiming his shotgun at them both. When Marion refused to go outside to speak with him in private. McCleneghan fired a shot into the floor to intimidate her.

Marion’s colleague escaped the laundrette unharmed but Marion died at the scene from several gunshot wounds to the chest.

She had just recently reunited with her husband of 34 years before she was killed.

Mc Cleneghan of Broad Street in Magherafelt pleaded guilty to the murder and was sentenced today at Belfast Crown Court.

Fred McCleneghan (Picture: newsletter.co.uk)

Detective Superintendent Jason Murphy, from PSNI’s Serious Crime Branch, said Frederick McClenaghan “is a very callous and dangerous man and the community is a safer place now that he is behind bars”.

Murphy believes that the murderer showed no remorse in the time since he committed the killing: “He has never given the Millican family the courtesy of an explanation as to why he killed Marion.

“Throughout 14 police interviews he maintained his right to silence and while this was his right, I believe he had a moral responsibility to explain his actions to Marion’s family.”

Marion’s husband Ken Millican said: “I can honestly say she was the love of my life..

“I will never forget the day, Friday 11 March, when I found Marion lying on the floor of the laundrette. It will stay with me forever and to this day it gives me many sleepless nights, reliving the whole ordeal.”