Evelyn McDaid said that her husband’s murder should not be used as an excuse “to breed further sectarianism or division within our community”.

Tensions in the area intensified last week after loyalist flags were erected just yards from the scene of the sectarian murder in the Heights area.

During a court hearing at Coleraine Magistrates Court on Friday the PSNI was accused of “facilitating” the loyalists who entered the area with a cherry-picker machine to put up the flags. The claim was made by a defence solicitor for a man who was in court charged with incitement to hatred after he allegedly shouted abuse at the loyalists as they erected the flags.

A PSNI officer told the court, however, that police were there at the time to prevent trouble breaking out and to ensure that traffic was not hampered from passing through the area.

Concern has been mounting that the erection of the flags and a parade due to take place in the area tomorrow will spark the already simmering sectarian unrest.

In a statement issued through the family’s legal representatives from Mrs McDaid said: “There has been considerable comment regarding the recent erection of flags at the site where my husband Kevin was killed and the parade which is due to take place on Wednesday July 1 2009, yards from the area where the murder was carried out and where Damien Fleming was seriously injured.

“We continue to mourn the loss of our husband and father. We would ask that the site of his death should not be disrespected or desecrated by anyone, nor should it be used as a monument to, or flashpoint for, sectarianism.”

“We express the sincerely held hope that this forthcoming parade passes off peacefully and without incident.

“We are a family drawn from the Protestant and Catholic communities. We have been raised to respect all traditions within our community and would appeal for dignity and calm at this difficult time.

“Our family are hurting. We would request that we are allowed to grieve in peace for our loss and that this is respected. We do not desire that any protest should be carried out in our family’s name. We make this statement in order to appeal for calm given recent tensions in the area.

“Kevin’s murder should not be allowed, or be used as an excuse, to breed further sectarianism or division within our community. “