The grieving partner of West Belfast murder victim Mark Hall has said she wants justice for her two young kids as she faces another Christmas without the love of her life.
Mark was shot dead in a gun attack at his family home in the Rodney Drive area one year ago today.
The 31-year-old died later in hospital after two gunmen fired at least seven shots, including some through the living room window of the home of his mum Mary on the afternoon of Saturday, 18 December 2021.
Read more: Police renew appeal one year on from "barbaric" murder of Mark Hall
The dad-of-two had travelled up to Belfast by train for the day from his home in Co Meath to deliver Christmas presents to his mum and other family members when he was targeted.
The victim had been in the living room when the attack happened, along with a number of other family members, who narrowly avoided injury. His sister Deirdre was returning from a local shop when she saw the gunmen approaching the house in the St James’s area of the city.
She tried to intervene before the shots were fired. As the gunmen made off, they fired a shot at her, which "passed through her handbag".
Hall had links to organised crime and was believed to be a close friend of father-of-two Warren Crossan, 28, who was shot dead as he visited his mother in west Belfast in June 2020.
He left behind his heartbroken partner Sabrina Wilde, 23, who was expecting the couple's second child at the time, and their young daughter, Freya Joanne. The couple had been together for nearly three years after meeting through friends and lived in Navan.
Dublin-born Sabrina was on the phone to Mark that fateful Saturday afternoon when he was attacked. The next thing she heard were gunshots, windows smashing and Mark screaming and roaring, then someone shouted to her that he had been shot.
He was taken to the nearby Royal Victoria Hospital but died of blood loss several hours later.
Sabrina will travel to Belfast on Sunday with two-year-old Freya and her baby son Markus, who was born in July, to mark the first anniversary of Mark's murder.
She told Belfast Live: "I'm not looking forward to it at all and I just want to get through the day and for it to be all over. We're going to the cemetery to visit his grave, hold a vigil, release some balloons and doves, and play some music."
The past year has been a huge challenge for Sabrina as she juggles motherhood while also grieving for Mark.
"I found out I was pregnant again three weeks before Mark died and later discovered that he was planning to propose to me the following February. He was so excited about becoming a dad again as he had always spoken about marriage and wanting to have a big family," she said.
"Our son Markus was born on July 3 and I named him after his dad - we had already picked that name if it was a boy. It's very hard now being a single mum with two young kids and even though I have great family support, I still have to be both a mum and dad to them.
"Even though she's still quite young Freya has noticed that there's an empty space. Different events have happened over the past year like anniversaries, birthdays and her first Christmas play at pre-school this week, all of which Mark has missed."
Sabrina admits that last Christmas was "the worst ever", coming exactly a week after Mark's murder.
"It was the worst Christmas of my life but I had to carry on for Freya and I don't think it will ever be the same again," she said.
"It's just something I'm going to have to live with and get used to. What has happened will cast a shadow over every Christmas and to be honest if I didn't have the kids I wouldn't even celebrate it.
"But I'm looking forward to the fact that this will be Freya's first proper Christmas in terms of understanding it all and Markus first one too so even though it'll be hard, I'll just have to make it as precious as I can for them."
Sabrina still faces the agony of one day having to explain to her two kids later in life about how their daddy was taken away and why.
"I know life is hard for many people but I feel like I'm grieving for myself and for my kids and having to watch them grow up without knowing Mark. Freya has only a few memories of him but Markus won't have any except what I can make for them," she said.
"I always make sure there's photos of him around all the time and speak about him to the kids. When I ask Freya where her daddy is she'll point to his picture which isn't fair at all.
"I still have so many questions about why someone would do this. I've seen some horrible comments about Mark on social media but to me he was a loving partner and father. He always used to say that a bad story would sell quicker than a good one.
"I knew the real Mark - he was just a big child - and I'm grateful to have two beautiful kids from him. If I thought he was a bad person, I'd never have been with him. I loved him from the inside out and more than anything else in this world because he made my life worth living."
At the time of Mark's death last year, Sabrina issued a family picture through the PSNI, showing herself and Mark with Freya.
"I did that because I wanted to show people that Mark was a family man. Yes he did things in his life that he regretted a lot but at the end of the day he was a good family man," she said.
"When I found out I was pregnant with Freya, he turned his life around, got himself a good job and was settling down but then his life was taken away."
There is currently a reward of up to £20,000 from Crimestoppers for information that leads to the arrest and conviction of those responsible.
Sabrina is urging anyone with information about Mark's killing to contact police.
"I want to see justice and for my kids to know who the person was that took their daddy away and why. That's all we want. I wish this was all just a bad dream, I really do. I pray every day that Mark gets justice because everyone deserves justice no matter who they are or what they've done in life," she added.
One year on, police revisited the scene on Saturday afternoon in order to appeal for information.
PSNI Detective Chief Inspector Neil McGuinness said: “Mark was murdered on the afternoon of Saturday 18 December 2021, just after 4.30pm. The barbaric gun attack took place at the family home in Belfast’s Rodney Drive.
“This Saturday, one year on, officers have revisited the scene. We’ve been speaking with motorists and pedestrians, and are keen to jog memories.
“This was a planned and violent attack, which took place in a busy, residential area. It happened one week before Christmas – a time when people would have been out and about, preparing for the holiday season."
He continued: “It’s left a bereft and heartbroken family, whose world has been turned upside down.
“I am appealing to anyone who may have witnessed the attack, or who may have information, to please do the right thing and come forward.”
He added: “The independent charity Crimestoppers is offering a reward of up to £20,000 for information it receives that leads to the arrest and conviction of those responsible.
“To stay anonymous, contact Crimestoppers directly on freephone 0800 555 111 or complete their anonymous online form at www.crimestoppers-uk.org. There is no caller line display, no 1471 facility and computer IP addresses are never traced.”
Information can also be uploaded on the Major Incident Public Portal here.
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