A 60-year-old man, Michael McDaid, has rightfully been labeled a “monster” by his own son after committing a heinous act that shattered their family forever.
A courtroom packed to the brim at Nottingham Crown Court, the air thick with tension. Michael McDaid, a man who once had everything—a beautiful home, a loving wife, and three children—stood accused of a crime so vile it defies comprehension. His own flesh and blood, his 23-year-old son Owen, stared him down from the witness stand. Owen’s voice rang out, filled with disgust and heartbreak, as he declared, “I am truly ashamed to have ever called you my dad.”
The horror unfolded on a seemingly ordinary morning in April, in the quiet town of Eastwood, Nottinghamshire. Michael McDaid, consumed by selfishness and a twisted sense of control, strangled his wife, Rachel McDaid, to death in their former family home. The impact of this monstrous act reverberated through the lives of their children, Owen and Isaac, leaving them devastated and forever scarred.
Owen’s words cut through the courtroom like a knife: “You had everything—a beautiful home, a beautiful wife, three children—and you destroyed it all out of sheer selfishness. You’ve ruined every childhood memory I have of you. I thought you were a loving father and husband, but you’re nothing but a monster.”
Rewind to the morning of April 19th. Michael McDaid, having meticulously planned his attack, altered his routine. He reached out to a friend, arranging care for his dog, and left a chilling clue—a newspaper article about an exonerated abuser—open on his narrowboat. Armed with a garrote fashioned from a bootlace, he arrived at the house at 9:30 am, knowing Rachel would be alone. He struck with brutal efficiency, leaving no chance for her to fight back.
The aftermath is a scene of utter horror. McDaid coldly informed his son Owen of the murder, saying, “Don’t go in there. I have killed her.” Terrified and desperate, Owen broke in through a bathroom window, only to find his mother’s lifeless body. The monster had already called 999, confessing with chilling detachment, “I have strangled her.”
In the face of such evil, Judge Stuart Rafferty KC delivered a powerful sentence—life imprisonment, with no chance of parole for 23 years and four months. He condemned McDaid’s calculated actions and his complete lack of remorse. “You didn’t just kill Rachel; you destroyed the lives of everyone who loved her,” Judge Rafferty stated with unyielding resolve.
Even McDaid’s pitiful defense—a letter citing his mental health struggles—was dismissed. The courtroom, the public, and the family knew the truth: Michael McDaid is a cold, remorseless killer, deserving of every second he spends behind bars.
