Hain to meet UVF victim's father amid collusion claims

Northern Ireland Secretary Peter Hain has agreed to meet the father of a loyalist murder victim whose death is at the centre of a major collusion inquiry, it was revealed tonight.

He pledged to hold talks with Raymond McCord as part of his near-nine year campaign for justice.

Mr McCord’s son Raymond Jr, a 22-year-old former RAF operator, was beaten to death by an Ulster Volunteer Force gang and dumped in a quarry outside north Belfast in 1997.

No-one has ever been charged with the killing, and allegations that the terrorist unit was shielded because special branch agents were involved are being probed by the Northern Ireland Police Ombudsman Nuala O’Loan.

Her report, widely expected to contain explosive findings, is due to be published later this year.

Mr McCord described Mr Hain’s confirmation, given in the Commons to Ulster Unionist MP Lady Sylvia Hermon, that he would meet him as a significant breakthrough.

“After eight and a half years I’m entitled to the truth,” he said.

“I have been calling on Secretary of State after Secretary of State to meet me face to face and this is the first one that has agreed.”

Mrs O’Loan’s investigation has focused on the role of Mark Haddock, who once ran the UVF’s Mount Vernon unit in north Belfast.

Haddock, 37, survived an assassination bid when he was ambushed and shot by former associates in Newtownabbey, Co Antrim last month.

Even though Lady Sylvia has campaigned on his behalf, Mr McCord tonight pledged to have nothing more to do with her party chief Sir Reg Empey.

His anger is based on Sir Reg’s decision to align his Ulster Unionist Assembly team with David Ervine, leader of the UVF-linked Progressive Unionist Party.

“One man who won’t be welcome at the meeting with Peter Hain is the leader of the UUP,” Mr McCord added.