Loyalist terror trial pair to be sentenced

Two men cleared of being involved with loyalist terrorist groups were facing lengthy jail sentences today after being convicted of firearms offences.

Eric Hamilton, who was a member of the Ayr Protestant Boys Flute Band, and James McKenzie – who played in a loyalist accordion band – were found guilty of possessing a sawn-off shotgun after a three-week trial.

However, along with co-accused Neil Findlay, they were cleared of more serious charges of being loyalist terrorists and planning paramilitary attacks.

The jury of eight men and seven women cleared all three of being linked to the Ulster Defence Association (UDA) and its spin-off, the Ulster Freedom Fighters (UFF), by returning a majority not proven verdict.

McKenzie, of Crammond Way, Irvine, Findlay of Dukes Terrace, Ayr, and Hamilton, of Lothian Road, Stewarton, had denied breaching Section 57 (1) of the Terrorism Act 2000.

But apprentice mechanic Hamilton, 19, and factory worker McKenzie, 36, were convicted at the High Court in Kilmarnock of possessing the weapon and failing to hold a firearms certificate.

McKenzie was also convicted of possessing two stun guns and Hamilton, known by his nickname of “Tyson”, admitted being concerned in the supply of cannabis.

Jobless Findlay, 32, who was also a member of the same flute band as Hamilton, walked free from court after being cleared of possession of the shotgun.

All three faced charges of possessing guns and bomb-making equipment fireworks, igniters and incendiary devices to further the religious and political aims of the UDA and UFF.

The three were arrested in Irvine last year after a massive surveillance operation involving undercover police officers.

A car driven by the heavily-tattooed Hamilton, and with Findlay in the passenger seat, was stopped in Irvine last July.

Police found a half-kilo of cannabis and a sawn-off shotgun in the boot. They went to McKenzie’s house and found what they believed were explosives.

Further searches at seven addresses in Irvine, Ayr and Stewarton revealed a mass of paraphernalia, which police claimed linked each to the banned UFF, the court heard.

And the jury heard they had returned from an Orange Walk in Belfast shortly before their arrests.

The court heard claims that eight ski masks found by police had been bought by the three at an airport stall as they returned to Scotland.

The jury was told the men were going to use them for a fancy dress party where they planned to go as “Osama Billy Laden” – a fictional Scottish cousin of the extreme Islamic terrorist leader Osama bin Laden.

Findlay’s girlfriend Lynne Beveridge revealed he planned to wear the bizarre outfit at a party.

The imagined character’s costume would consist of a long beard, a white sheet, sandals and would be topped off with a green balaclava.

Asked by prosecutor Alan Mackenzie why balaclavas would be part of his Osama disguise, she replied: “That is what Osama bin Laden wears.”

After the verdicts were returned the judge, Lord Hardie, found Hamilton guilty of contempt of court after the accused refused to name in court who supplied him with the shotgun.

Hamilton and McKenzie will be sentenced at the High Court in Glasgow.