Sam\u2019s mother, Majella McLaughlin, also trains at the same \u2018Team Ryano\u2019 gym that Sam attends in Limavady and has even won a European championship in the sport. <\/p>\n
Speaking to the Irish News, she praised the support she and her son have received from the martial arts community, as she urged anyone with information to come forward.<\/p>\n \u201cSam is still very much in shock about what\u2019s happened – he just doesn\u2019t understand why,\u201d she said. <\/p>\n \u201cAnd after it happened, all he kept saying was, \u2018what did I do?\u2019 You know, \u2018what did I do to deserve this?\u2019 I know for a fact that he didn\u2019t do anything because it\u2019s not in his character to be confrontational. It\u2019s not in his character to go out and start rows or anything. Sam\u2019s one of the least confrontational people you could ever possibly meet. He\u2019s quite quiet and shy, but he\u2019s also got such a big heart.\u201d<\/p>\n She said Sam\u2019s older brother is also \u201cabsolutely heartbroken that this has happened\u201d.<\/p>\n \u201cHe\u2019s taking it really badly, and everybody that knows Sam is taking it badly,\u201d Majella said. <\/p>\n \u201cIt shouldn\u2019t happen to anybody but, of all people for it to happen to, why Sam? I would never, never want this to happen. I just can\u2019t wrap my head around the fact that somebody stood there and thought to themselves \u2018I\u2019m going to do this to this boy\u2019.\u201d<\/p>\n In a widely shared online appeal this week, Sam\u2019s coach Andy Chapman urged the attackers to come forward for a chance to learn \u201cbetter respect\u201d. <\/p>\n \u201cFighting in groups is cowardly,\u201d Andy had said. \u201dJumping on a man is cowardly. Can you fight by yourself? Show me. Hopefully this post reaches one or two of these young men. Here\u2019s my plea to you – contact me.<\/p>\n \u201cCome to my club and show me that you can fight. I\u2019ll line up a group of young men the same size and age as you, you can have your pick at one, we\u2019ll stick gloves on the both of you and you can have a fight.\u201d<\/p>\n Thanks to support from local businesses, Andy confirmed to the Irish News that a prize of \u00a37,000 is now on offer if one of the perpetrators does come forward and wins the proposed bout under controlled conditions at Sam\u2019s gym.<\/p>\n Mum Majella praised the support from the local martial arts community.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s such a wide community because it\u2019s not just our club,\u201d she said. \u201cThey have been so supportive. There have been so many messages of support, people sharing Andy\u2019s post, and just generally supporting us. <\/p>\n \u201cPeople have been messaging me, asking how Sam is, and you know, it\u2019s just shocked everyone within the community as well.\u201d<\/p>\n She added: \u201cAs a mother, I would urge people to come forward. Obviously, we would like to get this sorted in the best way possible. You know, we are trying to do the right thing. <\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019re trying to go down the legal road and hoping and trusting that the police will be able to to get the relevant information to make sure that Sam gets the justice he deserves. He doesn\u2019t deserve to be treated the way he was.\u201d<\/p>\n![\"Mo](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/1775801654_857_LS75QCFJNRDEPK5NYYT3NROWEE.jpg\")
<\/a>![\"Mum](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/MWRPMB2625B2TJWM2DPD3WD6AU.jpg\")
<\/a><\/p>\n![\"Limavady](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/DEWFL4OD6RHEXDQE26JO225F4Y.jpg\")
Limavady gym owner Andy Chapman. PICTURE: MARGARET MCLAUGHLIN 8-4-2026 (MARGARET MCLAUGHLIN COPYRIGHT \/ ) <\/p>\n