Latest news with #WinstonIrvine
BreakingNews.ie
15 hours ago
- Politics
- BreakingNews.ie
Irvine controversy has impacted confidence in justice system
Controversy around the sentencing of leading loyalist Winston Irvine has impacted upon confidence in the criminal justice system in Northern Ireland, PSNI Deputy Chief Constable Bobby Singleton has said. Mr Singleton also told the Policing Board that he wanted to give clarity that he did not provide a character witness for Irvine and would not have done so if asked. Advertisement Irvine was sentenced to two-and-a-half years, with half to be served in jail, at Belfast Crown Court last month following an incident where firearms and ammunition were found in the boot of his car. Irvine avoided a statutory five-year sentence on several of the charges he faced after Judge Gordon Kerr KC ruled there were 'exceptional circumstances' in his case, namely Irvine's 'work for peace and his charity work in the community'. The Public Prosecution Service (PPS) has said it is considering whether there is any legal basis to appeal the sentence. The length of Irvine's sentence and the fact he and his co-accused Robin Workman were not prosecuted for terrorism offences has attracted controversy. Advertisement Mr Singleton was asked about the case during the monthly meeting of the Policing Board. He said: 'I think this case and the debate surrounding it undoubtedly has impacted on confidence in the entire criminal justice system. 'As the face, the front end of that, it has also impacted on policing.' Mr Singleton added: 'For clarity, I absolutely did not provide a character reference for Mr Irvine, nor was I asked to. Advertisement 'If I had been, I absolutely wouldn't have done so.' Bobby Singleton said he did not provide a character witness for Winston Irvine. Photo: Liam McBurney/PA. The senior officer said he had given evidence under oath during an earlier preliminary inquiry in the case. He added: 'As Mr Irvine's arrest by our counter-terrorism officers and subsequent investigation by our terrorism investigation unit demonstrates, we police without fear or favour, and that is exactly the way it should be.' Assistant Chief Constable Davy Beck said sentencing was a matter for the courts. Advertisement He said Irvine had been arrested by police under the Terrorism Act and there had been a 'thorough investigation'. He added: 'I can confirm that ballistic testing of all the firearms was conducted and there was no previous history in respect of those firearms or indeed the ammunition. 'Our role is to investigate and to place evidence before the court.' Police Service of Northern Ireland Assistant Chief Constable Davy Beck (centre) speaks during the monthly meeting of the board. Photo: Liam McBurney/PA. Irvine, 49, of Ballysillan Road in north Belfast, and Workman, 54, of Shore Road in Larne, Co Antrim, both admitted possession of a firearm and ammunition in suspicious circumstances. Advertisement They also admitted two counts of possessing a handgun without a certificate, one count of possessing ammunition without a certificate, possessing a prohibited weapon and possessing a firearm without a certificate. Workman further pleaded guilty to possessing a .177 calibre air rifle without holding a firearm certificate. The offences were committed on June 8 2022, when Workman transported a quantity of weapons and ammunition to the Glencairn area of Belfast in his van, which were then put into the boot of Irvine's Volkswagen Tiguan car. Ireland Gerry Adams to donate €100k to Irish language and... Read More A short time later, Irvine's vehicle was stopped by police in Disraeli Street. A long-barrelled firearm, two suspected pistols, several magazines and a large quantity of ammunition were discovered inside a bag in the boot. While the judge noted that UVF paraphernalia was found in the homes of both defendants, he did not consider that there was a terrorist link to the weapons.
Irish Independent
27-05-2025
- Politics
- Irish Independent
UVF gun convict Winston Irvine in secret talks with British PM's adviser until just six months ago
The British prime minister's national security adviser was in secret talks with UVF commander Winston Irvine until six months ago — long after he'd been caught red-handed with guns and ammunition.
BBC News
21-05-2025
- Politics
- BBC News
Winston Irvine: Doug Beattie to write to PPS over loyalist's sentence
The former Ulster Unionist Party (UUP) leader has said he will write to the Public Prosecution Service (PPS) over the sentence handed to high-profile loyalist Winston Tuesday, the 49-year-old of Ballysillian Road in north Belfast was given a two and a half year sentence, after previously admitting to a range of firearm and ammunition will spend half of his two and a half year sentence in custody and the other half on Beattie described the sentence as "bizarre" following Irvine's choice to not give any explanation for the weaponry discovered in June 2022. Belfast Crown Court heard Irvine had made no comment during police interviews, providing a prepared statement outlining his reputation as a "trusted interlocutor" during Northern Ireland's peace sentencing, the judge said despite the guilty plea, he did not consider the crimes to be connected to said that reasoning was "appalling". "Here we have a man at a time when tensions were heightened in Northern Ireland due to issues around Brexit and the protocol who was found with weapons and ammunition," he told BBC Radio Ulster's Nolan Show."How on earth the judge can say there was no terrorist link to this is utterly bizarre if we don't know what the weapons were for." 'Sentence' sends out a bad message Irvine's co-accused, 54-year-old Robin Workman, of Shore Road in Larne, was sentenced to five years - the minimum custodial said there were questions over why Irvine did not receive the mandatory term and said he will be writing to the PPS over the decision."I don't think that there is any exceptional circumstances to carrying guns around our city," he added."You can't say you're a peacemaker on one hand, and then during the day time you help move deadly weapons and ammunition around the place. "The two don't match together."The UUP's justice spokesperson said that the sentence sends out a bad message, and said the judiciary needs to get "a grip of this".
BBC News
20-05-2025
- BBC News
Winston Irvine jailed for firearm offences
The high-profile loyalist Winston Irvine who previously admitted a range of firearm and ammunition offences has been given a 30-month 49-year-old of Ballysillan Road in north Belfast will spend half of that in custody and half on Belfast Crown Court, his co-accused Robin Workman, 54, of Shore Road, Larne was also sentenced to five years; half to be served on men previously pleaded guilty to possessing firearms and ammunition in suspicious circumstances. They also admitted two counts of possessing a handgun without a certificate, possessing a prohibited weapon and possessing a firearm without a further pleaded guilty to possessing an air rifle without a the offences were committed on 8 June 2022.A previous court hearing was told that police said Workman transported a quantity of weapons and ammunition to the Glencairn area of Belfast in his van which police believed were then put into the boot of Irvine's Tiguan car.A short time later Irvine's vehicle was stopped by police in Disraeli Street.A long-barrelled firearm, two suspected pistols, several magazines and a large quantity of ammunition were discovered inside a holdall in the made no comment during police provided a prepared statement claiming: "I have developed a reputation as a trusted interlocutor engaging with the community on key outstanding issues in relation to the NI peace and political process." No connection to terrorism, court told During sentencing Judge Gordon Kerr KC said Mr Irvine pleaded guilty to possessing the weapons in suspicious circumstances but declined to give any explanation to police or the he said he did not consider it to be connected to terrorism."The prosecution accepts there is no such evidence."The judge said he did not consider it proper to impose the statutory minimum sentence for five years and that "the sentence should reflect the defendant's circumstances"."I'm obliged to consider if the defendant is dangerous. There are no examples on his record" he judge said he considered previous references which described Irvine's "character and long-term commitment to peace building in Northern Ireland".References had been provided by former policing board member Deborah Watters and Loyalist Communities Council Chair David Campbell at earlier court court was told Mr Irvine had worked with the highest levels of government and that he had "devoted most of his adult life to peace".Judge Kerr KC said he also considered that the weapons had been described by the defence as "low grade" that were not to be used in terrorist sentencing Robin Workman, the judge said he had no doubt the defendant is highly thought of by those who had given references and there was no history of offending or causing serious he added "there is no evidence of any exceptional circumstances" and that the statutory minimum sentence must be imposed."I consider there is no basis on which parity with Irvine must be appropriate," he said. Both men were led from the dock in handcuffs into custody.
Irish Times
20-05-2025
- Irish Times
Leading loyalist jailed after being caught with firearms and ammunition in his car
Leading loyalist Winston Irvine, who was caught by police with firearms and ammunition in the boot of his car, has been handed a 2½ year sentence at Belfast Crown Court. Irvine will serve half of the 30 month-sentence in jail and the other half on licence. He avoided a statutory five-year sentence on several of the charges he faced after judge Gordon Kerr KC ruled there were 'exceptional circumstances' in his case, namely the Irvine's 'work for peace and his charity work in the community'. Irvine's co-accused in the case, Robin Workman, was handed the statutory five-year sentence by the judge. He will serve half of that term in prison. READ MORE Irvine (49), of Ballysillan Road in north Belfast, and Workman, (54), of Shore Road, Larne, Co Antrim had both previously admitted possession of a firearm and ammunition in suspicious circumstances. They also admitted two counts of possessing a handgun without a certificate, one count of possessing ammunition without a certificate, possessing a prohibited weapon and possessing a firearm without a certificate. Workman further pleaded guilty to possessing a .177 calibre air rifle without holding a firearm certificate. The offences were committed on June 8th, 2022 when Workman transported a quantity of weapons and ammunition to the Glencairn area of Belfast in his van, which were then put into the boot of Irvine's Volkswagen Tiguan car. A short time later Irvine's vehicle was stopped by the Police Service of Northern Ireland on Disraeli Street. - PA
