Seized home of terror boss fetches £410,000

The luxury home of a loyalist paramilitary leader seized by the Assets Recovery Agency was tonight sold at an auction for £410,000 (€585,280).

The house at Crawfordsburn, Co Down, belonged to 45-year-old Jim Johnston, a member of the Red Hand Commando, who was gunned down in May last year in his driveway.

It was the first public sale of a criminal’s home by the Assets Recovery Agency.

In September a High Court order allowed the agency to seize Mr Johnston’s cash and property assets which were valued in excess of £1m (€1.4m).

The proceeds raised are due to be ploughed back into the fight against organised crime.