Police have said a pipe bomb attack on a house close to an address used by convicted sex offender Michael McMonagle in Derry may have been a case of “mistaken identity”.
An elderly couple escaped injury when a pipe bomb exploded after being put through a window of the Limewood Street property at around 7.30pm on Monday.
While there were no injuries, police say the damage caused to the Bogside property could have resulted in the occupants being badly injured or killed.
The house targeted is close to an address used by former Sinn Féin press officer and convicted sex offender Michael McMonagle (42).
The PSNI has now said the elderly couple may not have been the target of the attack.
“Enquiries are continuing and detectives are investigating the possibility this may have been a case of mistaken identity,” a spokeswoman said.
“The investigation remains at an early stage.”
Attack victim Liam Cooley described how he was sitting in his living room with his wife Josephine when their home was targeted.
“It could have killed or harmed anybody,” he said.
“Damage can be fixed but if you take somebody’s life it is different.
“There were pieces of shrapnel. It was very frightening, a very reckless thing to have done; they could have killed anybody.”
Mrs Cooley told how there was initial confusion.
“It kept banging and banging, then we could see sparks,” she said.
“My husband thought it was gas or something, and we jumped.
“My son said, ‘Oh God, I think there is shooting’.”
The Derry woman quickly realised her home was under attack.
“The blinds broke; we jumped. I ran out the back, and they threw something through the window; sparks were going everywhere,” she said.
“It was just like a nightmare,” she told the BBC.
In September McMonagle pleaded guilty to 14 child sex offences after initially denying involvement and was placed on the sexual offenders register.
He had faced two charges of attempted incitement of a child to engage in sexual activity on dates in August 2021 and 12 counts of attempted sexual communication with a child on various dates in 2020 and 2021.
After McMonagle’s conviction it emerged that two former Sinn Féin press office colleagues, Seán Mag Uidhir and Caolán McGinley, had provided him with references for a new job at the British Heart Foundation (BHF) three months after he was sacked while under police investigation.
Both Mr Mag Uidhir and Mr McGinley stepped down from their roles with Sinn Féin.
SDLP MP Colum Eastwood condemned the attack.
“An elderly couple have had a device thrown through their window in what must have been a shocking and distressing attack on their home,” he said.
“There is no excuse for it.
“The people responsible have caused an immense amount of disruption for this family and the local community.
Sinn Féin councillor Sandra Duffy said the attack was “totally wrong”.
“There is no place or excuse for this type of activity,” she said.
“I would urge anyone with information on this incident to bring it forward to the PSNI.”
