Nine Acquitted Of Tommy English Murder

Nine men accused of murdering UDA leader Tommy English have been aquittted.

This includes the alleged former UVF leader in North Belfast, Mark Haddock.

Verdicts have been delivered today in what is being hailed as one of the longest and most expensive trials in Northern Ireland’s legal history.

Neil Pollock, 36, of Fortwilliam Gardens in Belfast was convicted of processing items intended for terrorism. While 12 out of the 13 were acquitted of all charges.

The trial lasted 71-days and ended last month: it relied on the evidence of brothers Robert and Ian Stewart.

The judge said: "These are witnesses of very bad character who have lied to the police and to the court; on some occasions wrongly implicated a number of men who were clearly not present at the crimes suggested".

The judgement was understood to be over 100 pages long but the judge read an abbreviated version to the court.

Commenting on the verdict in the UVF supergrass trial, Sinn Féin North Belfast MLA Gerry Kelly said: "At the outset of this process we raised serious concerns about the decision to proceed with a supergrass trial and the quality of this PSNI investigation. This process has done nothing to bring truth and closure to the victims families of the Mount Vernon UVF."

The 13 men appeared in court during the trial charged with more than 30 offences.

The accused include Mark Haddock (43), Maghaberry Prison, David Miller (40), Upritchard Court, Bangor, John Bond (45), Essex Court, Carrickfergus, Darren Stuart Moore (42), Mount Vernon Park, Belfast, Alexander Thomas Wood (35), Milewater Way, Newtownabbey, Jason Loughlin (36), Bryson Court, Newtownabbey, Ronald Trevor Bowe (35), Ross House, Belfast, Samuel Jason Higgins (36), The Meadow, Antrim, Neil Pollock (36), Fortwilliam Gardens, Belfast, David Samuel McCrum (32), Beechgrove Drive, NewtownabbeWilliam Hinds (47), Ballycraigy Gardens, Newtownabbey, Mark Thompson (37), Ballyvesey Green, Newtownabbey and Phillip Laffin (34), Bridge Street, Antrim.

(LB)