Orde: Too soon to blame UVF for killing

The North's chief constable has pledged to say as soon as possible if he believes the UVF tried to murder one of its former members.

He also appealed, at a policing board meeting, to both Catholics and Protestants in Ballymena to work against sectarianism.

Hugh Orde said it was only 48 hours since loyalist Mark Haddock was shot and too early to apportion blame to the UVF.

Asked if he felt constrained that the chairperson of the PUP, linked to the UVF, is on the Policing Board, he said he wasn't.

He said Dawn Pervis had given him insights into her community and he was anxious to see Sinn Féin members join up to represent their electorate.

On secterian tensions in Ballymena, where Catholic schoolboy Michael McIlveen was murdered, he said police were doing what they could, but the community must help.