With none of the three accused charged with any paramilitary offences, defence lawyers challenged the strength of the evidence against them. Barrister Richard McConkey, for Stephen Matthews, said: "This case has been all over the news, there have been politicians getting involved with complaints about how police dealt with it, and then mysteriously a number of arrests are made.
Northern Ireland news. East Belfast loyalist Stephen Matthews 'acting like leader' of loyalist group which massed at Pitt Park, court hears Screen grabs after a video has appeared online of a group of masked men walking round the Pitt Park area of east Belfast. Enjoy reading the Irish News? Supporters of Matthews are adamant he has the full backing of the UVF, not just figures in east Belfast.
They insist he and his co-accused have been remanded on "trumped-up" charges and the case against them is going nowhere. Pals of the loyalist leader are also in agreement with other senior UVF sources that any idea of an internal feud is "fanciful". A spokesman for Matthews said last night: "Mr Matthews robustly denies the common law public order charges brought against him.
He will be strongly challenging the veracity of the evidence in this case. Public commentary should be mindful of the need not to prejudice those fundamental principles to which every citizen is entitled. Stephen Matthews, Derek Lammey and David Matthews are expected to apply for high court bail later this week after being remanded on charges of affray and unlawful assembly in Belfast last Friday.
They are alleged to have played prominent roles in an East Belfast UVF show of strength earlier this month when 60 masked and hooded men swaggered around an estate at the bottom of the Newtownards Road. PSNI Chief Constable Simon Byrne told a meeting of the Policing Board that officers received specific information relating to a threat against a person and went to find him. According to Mr Byrne, cops then put "themselves between the person sheltering and the crowd" until back-up arrived.
He wields serious power. The fact that he could muster up to UVF members on Monday night, many masked and wearing surgical gloves, to attack people and homes in the Short Strand — which sits cheek by jowl with loyalist working class east Belfast — demonstrates his sinister capabilities.
There are always sectarian tensions at these interfaces, particularly during the summer, with violence flaring from time to time, caused either by nationalists or loyalists. The UVF in east Belfast is understood to have attempted to justify the attacks on Short Strand by citing recent reported nationalist sectarian attacks on loyalist areas close to the peace wall.
Both nationalist and loyalist politicians, however, acknowledge these problems and point out how community activists on both sides of the sectarian wall work long and hard to prevent or quell trouble. The Historical Enquiries Team has handed over this inquiry into some 15 murders carried out by this gang between and to a special PSNI murder inquiry team.
These stresses may also have prompted the UVF to lash out. Moreover, the UVF is in poor order generally at the moment. For years, it was the most cohesive and disciplined of the loyalist organisations but that control is breaking down.
Some PUP members are gamely attempting to exert positive influence but with little success. Social and economic factors are also at play here such as loyalist disaffection, unemployment and educational under-achievement, and these problems must be tackled at a political level.
Peter Robinson and Martin McGuinness are engaging in behind-the-scenes efforts to resolve the current problems and the hope is that this violence will now quickly peter out.
But, more immediately, the concentration must be on isolating the UVF in east Belfast and its maverick leader. This video can not be played To play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser. Image source, Pacemaker. Simon Byrne denied police leaked details of contractors who were asked to remove the bonfire. Related Topics. Belfast Belfast City Council. Published 12 July
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