Loyalist charged with decade-old murder

A top loyalist and a former leading member of the Ulster Volunteer Force, Mark Haddock, was today charged with the murder of a 39-year-old man in the North more than a decade ago.

The 40-year-old North Belfast loyalist appeared before the city's magistrates charged with the murder of John Harbinson, beaten to death in the Mount Vernon estate, North Belfast, in May 1997.

Haddock also faced charges of attempted murder and grievous bodily harm with intent regarding an attack on 37-year-old Keith Caskey in the city in January 1996.

Haddock, who is from Mount Vernon, is serving a 10-year sentence in Machinery Prison for attacking a doorman.

The death of Mr Harbinson is being reinvestigated by the police Historic Enquiries Team (HET), along with a string of other killings from the Troubles.

In a further development today ,the Ulster Volunteer Force issued a statement confirming that Haddock had been previously expelled from the organisation and also claiming responsibility for shooting and injuring him several years ago.