Supergrass Trial: Haddock minacciato di espulsione dal tribunale

Haddock warned over court outburst

Alleged UVF leader Mark Haddock, who is on trial over a litany of terror-related charges, has been given a warning after he shouted out from the dock to tell supergrass witness Robert Stewart to “change the record”.

The interruption – which prompted a reaction from Diplock judge Mr Justice Gillen – came after Stewart, 37, continued to defend the reliability and credibility of his police evidence.

The judge threatened to have Haddock thrown out of court after he shouted the four-lettered abuse at the informer.

He said he wouldn’t tolerate any more interruptions and added: “If you speak out of turn again, you will be held outside the court.”

Stewart was being cross-examined for a third day by Haddock’s defence lawyer, Frank O’Donaghue QC, and clashed with him over discrepancies in his initial 2008 statement.

“I suggest to you that the disclosure you made in your police interview was concocted,” Mr O’Donaghue said, during proceedings on Monday at Belfast Crown Court.

But Stewart responded by saying: “It looks to me like you are clutching at straws and you have nothing.”

Stewart and his brother David have turned Queen’s evidence against Haddock and 13 of his alleged UVF associates, after confessing to their own UVF membership and playing a part in the loyalist feud murder of UDA boss Tommy English.

Both brothers have had the minimum tariffs on their life sentences reduced to just three-and-a-half years each, in return for their testimonies against the 14 accused.

Nine of the men in the dock, including Haddock, deny the murder of Tommy English and various other related charges – including UVF membership, hijacking and possessing guns.

Five other deny offences including assisting offenders and perverting the course of justice.

The trial continues.