David Black murder: Widow makes new appeal on 10th anniversary

David Black was "respected across the community", says his widow Yvonne

The widow of murdered prison officer David Black has made a fresh appeal for information about his killers on the 10th anniversary of his death.

Mr Black was driving to work at Maghaberry Prison when shots were fired at him from inside a passing car on the M1 in County Armagh on 1 November 2012.

No-one has been convicted of his murder.

Yvonne Black called on anyone with evidence to contact police in order to give her family "some level of peace".

"Loyalties change and we are appealing for information to be given, however small, which could help build the jigsaw, progressing justice and accountability," said Mrs Black.

"We have in many ways concealed our own hurt and pain to the outside world," she said.

David Black - pictured with his son Kyle and daughter Kyra - was shot dead as he was driving to work

Mr Black, 52, was the first prison officer to be killed by paramilitaries in Northern Ireland in almost 20 years.

The dissident republican group, the New IRA, said it carried out the attack.

The prison officer, a father of two, who lived in Cookstown, County Tyrone, was shot on the motorway between Portadown and Lurgan.

The Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) has said it believes people in Lurgan and Cookstown have information about those who killed him.

'We mourn him every day'

Ten years on from Mr Black's death, his widow said her family needed "the help and support of the broader community" to gain justice.

"David was a good man, he was a wonderful husband and father and he worked extremely hard fulfilling a role as provider."

"When he was murdered our lives were shattered, everything we had come to know had been taken away from us.

"We mourn him every day and there have been very difficult times down the years as we have tried to come to terms with the new life we've all been forced to live."

David Black was driving his black Audi A4 on the M1 when he was shot

Mrs Black said her husband "wasn't a danger or threat to anyone" and he "most certainly was no-one's legitimate target".

"He was highly respected across the community and indeed by his former colleagues and inmates alike," she said.

"David lived his life by the adage 'respect breeds respect' and this is how he conducted his life, personally and professionally within his work as a prison officer."

Yvonne Black said her husband worked hard and was robbed of his future

She added: "We had a future laid out, we knew what we were going to do…the plans that we had at that stage, what we were going to do.

"I just feel that I've been robbed of that and David has been robbed of that, he worked hard all his life and all those plans are just nothing."

Det Ch Insp Anthony Kelly, who is leading the investigating into the murder, said it was "not too late to do the right thing for David's family".

A dark blue Toyota Camry with a Republic of Ireland registration 94 D 50997 was used by the killers

"Today is a particular difficult day for David's wife Yvonne and his children Kyra and Kyle," he said.

"They have endured an unimaginable degree of suffering and loss over the last 10 years.

"We believe there are members of the communities of Lurgan and Cookstown who have information that will bring those responsible for David's murder to justice."

• Black family 'devastated' by trial collapse

The charity Crimestoppers has doubled the reward on offer to £20,000 for information that leads to the prosecution of those responsible for the murder.