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BBC News
an hour ago
- BBC News
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Mandy McAuley BBC NI Spotlight PSNI Winston Irvine received a two-and-a-half year sentence Video footage, showing the moment guns and ammunition were found in loyalist community worker Winston Irvine's car, has been released by the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI). Edited extracts from police body-worn video recording the arrests of Irvine and Larne man Robin Workman were released to the BBC, but with the sound almost entirely removed. A PSNI transcript of the original video indicates officers knew they were looking for weapons when they pulled over Irvine in Belfast in 2022. The PSNI said the sound on the video had been removed to prevent the identification of any of the police officers. PSNI Footage from the body-worn camera showed officers discovered a gun inside a bag According to the PSNI transcript of Irvine's arrest in west Belfast, an officer told Irvine they were about to search his vehicle for "munitions and wireless apparatus", an indication he was being stopped under the terms of the Justice and Security Act. "Have you anything in here that shouldn't be?," the officer asked. According to the transcript, Irvine replied: "In the boot there is, yes…there's a bag...I don't know what's in it." The officer said: "OK, where did you get that?" Irvine replied that he did not want to say. Irvine and Workman, who was jailed for five years, both failed to explain why the weapons were being transported. PSNI Ulster Volunteer Force (UVF) paraphernalia was found in both their homes, but the judge in the case concluded there was "no evidence of a direct terrorist connection to these firearms". Irvine was given less than the statutory minimum sentence because of his peace and charity work. He is due to be released in 2026 unless the PPS appeal is successful. The PSNI does not normally release body-worn video but agreed to do so after BBC NI's Spotlight team made the request to Belfast Crown Court in late May, during the making of Caught: Guns In The Boot, which investigated Irvine's arrest and the implications it could have for the potential disbandment of the UVF. What is the UVF? The Ulster Volunteer Force murdered more than 500 people during the Troubles. It was formed in 1966 and involved in various atrocities including the bombing of McGurk's Bar in Belfast, the sectarian killings of the Shankill Butchers and the Loughinisland massacre. In recent years, it has been linked to serious criminality, including drug dealing. Who is Winston Irvine? Winston Irvine first came to public prominence as a spokesman for the Progressive Unionist Party, which was linked to the UVF throughout the peace process. Spotlight reported in 2013 that a number of sources alleged Irvine was a UVF commander, but he said that was "preposterous". When Irvine was arrested in June 2022, he had been employed as a community worker by the Belfast organisation Intercomm for 10 years. The group suspended him when he was arrested. After he was jailed in May, Irvine chose to serve his sentence on a segregated loyalist wing of HMP Maghaberry. Prior to his arrest he was described as an "interlocutor" working with the Loyalist Communities Council on transforming the UVF into a peaceful organisation.
Irish Times
7 hours ago
- Sport
- Irish Times
Champions League qualifiers: Shelbourne go to Belfast for second-leg against Linfield
Champions League first round qualifier, second-leg: Linfield v Shelbourne, Windsor Park, 7.45pm 0 minutes ago Hello and welcome along to The Irish Times live blog for the second-leg Champions League first round qualifier between League of Ireland champs Shelbourne and their NIFL counterparts Linfield. Shels had hosting duties at Tolka Park last week, so the teams are in Belfast this evening for the return leg. Kick-off at Windsor Park is at 7.45pm. We'll be keeping you updated on all the action throughout the evening, followed by Gavin Cummiskey's report after the final whistle.
Irish Daily Mirror
7 hours ago
- Sport
- Irish Daily Mirror
Linfield v Shelbourne LIVE stream info, score, from Champions League qualifier
Linfield host Shelbourne at Windsor Park in the second leg of their first-round qualifier in the Champions League as Joey O'Brien's side take a 1-0 lead to Belfast. Mipo Odubeko's goal is the difference between the sides heading into tonight's game in Belfast as he struck just before the hour mark at Tolka Park last Wednesday evening. O'Brien's side looked the more threatening for large parts last week but, Linfield were knocking on the door late on and both sets of fans will feel the tie is right in the balance with a second round qualifier the reward for advancing through. It's not the first time a team from the League of Ireland and the NIFL Premiership have met in Champions League qualifying action, with Glentoran taking on Waterford in the European Cup back in the 1970/71 season being the first. Speaking ahead of the game, boss O'Brien said: 'The lads have earned the right to be at this level, they did it last year. Now it's about going out and making sure you have no regrets.' Meanwhile, Linfield manager, David Healy said this week: 'We're still probably slightly behind the eight ball, but even if we had drawn last week, we still have to win the game.'
Yahoo
a day ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
David Healy believes there's no place like home as Linfield chase more European glory
David Healy has backed Linfield to produce another impressive home performance in Europe as they look to overhaul Shelbourne's one goal lead at Windsor Park. In recent years the Blues have beaten the likes of Bodø/Glimt and Qarabag in Belfast with Healy hoping for another famous night against Shels this evening. Advertisement The Linfield boss accepts it won't be easy against the reigning League of Ireland champions, but he feels his side will be very different from the one which played at Tolka Park seven days ago. READ MORE: One in three parents forced into debt as back-to-school costs continue to rise READ MORE: Rory Hale determined to make up for lost time with massive European carrot waiting for Cliftonville "I wouldn't say you're ever happy losing a game but with the way the draw worked out in terms of the fitness edge that Shelbourne should have had – and they did - it wasn't a bad result," said Healy. "We had to give up something last week, we worked on it and credit to the players they took a lot of information on board. Advertisement "We sort of gave up the wide areas a little bit and there are areas we can improve on, certainly in possession. That's something we've touched on in training over the last number of days, we need to be strong in possession. "We've got to make sure we've got good options, better options than what we had last week. It looked at times as if we did all the hard work without the ball last week, then, when we landed on the ball we were probably giving it away cheaply. "We didn't have the opportunity to keep the ball and create the opportunities but one thing I will say is, we've a strong record at Windsor Park. "These players believe there's an opportunity. It's going to be hard, but we look back even at the game last year against Stjarnan, when I thought we were very good. Advertisement "We lost the first leg 2-0 then brought it back to Windsor but ultimately lost a late goal and went out. We won the game though (3-2). "The previous year we beat Vllaznia from Albania very comfortably at home, I think it was 3-1 on the night. "These boys believe. The majority of them in the dressing room have been through the highs and lows of European runs. "It's going to be a big challenge. We're still probably slightly behind the eight ball but even if we had drawn last week we still have to win the game. "These boys have made a lot of not just the three or four weeks now in pre-season for the new domestic season, they put 42 weeks of hard work in, tears along the way with what we achieved. Advertisement "We don't want to give that up in fifteen or twenty minutes. One thing we won't do is be gung ho from a very early stage. "We'll put a bit more pressure on, of course, but you don't want to waste 95 minutes of hard work last week and put yourself out of the tie within the first fifteen or twenty minutes this week."
BBC News
a day ago
- Sport
- BBC News
Linfield 'full of belief' for return leg with Shelbourne
Linfield manager David Healy says his side are "full of belief" that they can overturn their one-goal deficit from the first leg of their Champions League first qualifying round tie against Shelbourne when the teams meet again at Windsor Park on Wednesday game will be broadcast live on BBC iPlayer and on the BBC Sport website, with the game kicking off at 19:45 League of Ireland Premier Division champions take a 1-0 lead into the return fixture thanks to Mipo Odubeko's second-half strike at Tolka Park last believes the Irish Premiership champions remain well in the tie however and has indicated that they will adopt a more offensive approach to the game in Belfast while not starting out in a "gung-ho" fashion."It's going to be a big challenge but we're full of belief coming into it. We're still slightly behind the eight-ball but one thing we won't do is be gung-ho from a very early stage."We'll look to put more pressure on of course but you don't want to waste 95 minutes of hard work to be out of the tie 15 or 20 minutes in this week."We need to be stronger in possession. We've got to make sure we have good options, better options than we did last week."The 95-times capped Northern Ireland international adds that previous experience in continental competition should stand his team in good stead and he expects "a much improved performance" from his side."The majority of the lads in the dressing room have been through the highs and lows in European competition."It's going to be hard but we have a strong record at Windsor Park and these players believe there is an opportunity. "We gave the ball away cheaply [in the first leg], weren't able to keep the ball to create the opportunities. I've no doubt we will be better in possession [in the second leg]."The south Belfast side will have Chris Shields returning from suspension for the second encounter with Shels. "Shelbourne will enjoy the big open pitch, they're a very good footballing side with brilliant players who can handle the ball in tight situations, they're very neat and tidy on the ball," continued Healy, who will take charge of the Blues for a 500th time."We didn't have enough possession last week to go and hurt Shelbourne. Hopefully this time, with another week's training under our belt and having had a look at them, better fitness among the players, and with a strong support behind us, we can."I'm just asking the players to go out and perform as I know they can do, more on the front foot. Momentum is important." 'Away games so different' Shelbourne manager Joey O'Brien welcomes the fact that his side go into the second meeting with their opponents with a one-goal advantage but is expecting a totally different game."Away games in European competition are so different and the lads know that. Wednesday night is a completely different game."We have a small advantage. The lads have seen them on the pitch - their speed, their movement, how good they are, so you have that feel of who you are up against now."These are the kind of games you want to be involved in but ultimately it's about who goes into that next round."The winners of the tie will face Qarabag of Azerbaijan in the second qualifying round, with the losers dropping into the Conference League qualifying second round where they will play the defeated side between FK Zalgiris of Lithuania and Hamrun Spartans of Malta. Watch highlights of every Champions League game from 22:00 on Wednesday on BBC iPlayer and the BBC Sport website and will also be a Champions League Match of the Day on BBC One on Wednesday, from 22:40 to 00:00.
