Ex-informant denies decade-old murder
A HIGH-PROFILE loyalist and former police informant was charged yesterday with the murder of a 39-year-old man more than a decade ago.
Mark Haddock, a one-time leading member of the paramilitary UVF, appeared at Belfast Magistrates Court charged with the murder of John Harbinson, who was beaten to death in the north of the city in 1997.
Haddock, 40, also faced charges of attempted murder and grievous bodily harm over an attack on 37-year-old Keith Caskey in the city in January 1996.
Haddock is serving a 10-year sentence in Maghaberry prison for attacking a doorman.
Earlier this year, Haddock was also charged with the murder of rival loyalist, UDA leader Tommy English, who was shot in a loyalist feud in 2000.
Haddock spoke briefly yesterday to say he understood the latest charges, but in answer to questions from the loyalist’s solicitor, Detective Inspector David Lowans confirmed that Haddock has denied involvement.
The officer also confirmed there was no forensic evidence linking Haddock to the cases, but he believed he could connect the loyalist with the charges.
In a further development yesterday, the UVF issued a statement that said Haddock had been expelled from the organisation. The group also claimed responsibility for shooting and injuring him in May 2006.
Haddock was shot a number of times but survived the gun attack launched at the Doagh Road area of Newtownabbey, north Belfast, while he was on bail over charges linked to a brutal attack on doorman Trevor Gowdy at a social club in Monkstown nearly four years before.
Mr Harbinson, a 39-year-old Protestant, was found murdered in the early hours of May 18, 1997 in an alleyway in the Mount Vernon estate where he had been handcuffed and beaten by a UVF gang.
His death is being reinvestigated by the police Historic Enquiries Team (HET), along with a string of other killings from the Troubles.
Haddock was arrested in jail on Tuesday by the HET and taken from his cell in the high security prison near Lisburn for questioning at the Antrim Serious crime suite.
Police said at the time that he was being quizzed on the murders of Mr Harbinson, as well as Catholic builders Gary Convie and Eamon Fox in 1994 and Sharon McKenna in 1993.
Along with the murder of 40-year-old English, the four shootings were among a string of at least 10 murders linked to Haddock’s notorious UVF gang by a Police Ombudsman‘s report on alleged collusion between loyalists in north Belfast and security forces.
Haddock worked as an informant for the RUC’s Special Branch during the Troubles.
The probe by former Ombudsman Nuala O’Loan was triggered on the back of a complaint by Raymond McCord snr, the father of UVF victim Raymond McCord Jnr, who had claimed no one had been prosecuted for his son’s killing in order to protect Haddock.
The HET, which was tasked to investigate the claims, has now arrested 16 men in connection with the killings. A dozen have been charged and four are subject to reports by prosecutors.
Haddock is due to appear again before the court by video link on August 6.
