Court freezes assets of alleged loyalist racketeer

The High Court in the North has frozen £400,000 (€590,000)worth of assets belonging to an alleged loyalist racketeer from Kells in Co Antrim.

The court agreed to the move after being told by the Assets Recovery Agency that Melville Matthews was involved in loan-sharking, extortion and other illegal activities associated with loyalist paramilitarism.

The ARA also said he was involved in false accounting, fraud and income tax evasion and was living a lavish lifestyle despite having a small legitimate income.

The High Court order granted to the agency covers Mr Matthew's home on Steeple Road in Kells, as well as three plots of land, four cars, a motorcycle and a number of bank accounts.