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Haddock charged with 1997 murder Haddock in court over 1997 murder
(about 4 hours later)
Loyalist leader Mark Haddock has been charged with the murder of John Harbinson in May 1997. Loyalist leader Mark Haddock has appeared before Belfast Magistrates Court charged with the murder of John Harbinson in May 1997.
He died after being handcuffed and beaten by a UVF gang on the Mount Vernon estate in north Belfast.He died after being handcuffed and beaten by a UVF gang on the Mount Vernon estate in north Belfast.
Haddock is also charged with the attempted murder and GBH against a 37-year-old man. Haddock, 40, was also charged with the attempted murder and GBH of 37-year-old Keith Caskey. He denied the charges.
The senior UVF figure, 40, is due in court on Thursday morning. The charges are in connection with Operation Ballast. A detective from the Historical Enquiries Team said he believed he could connect Haddock to the charges.
It was launched after former Police Ombudsman Nuala O'Loan's investigation into allegations of collusion between RUC officers and the Mount Vernon unit of the UVF in north Belfast. Haddock, a senior figure in the UVF, is currently serving a 10-year sentence in Maghaberry prison for attacking a club doorman.
Earlier this year, Haddock was charged with the murder of rival loyalist, UDA leader Tommy English, in 2000.
The charges are in connection with Operation Ballast, which was launched after former Police Ombudsman Nuala O'Loan's investigation into allegations of collusion between RUC officers and the Mount Vernon unit of the UVF in north Belfast.
Parliamentary privilege
The investigation was triggered on the back of a complaint by Raymond McCord snr, the father of a UVF victim Raymond McCord jnr, who had claimed no-one had been prosecuted for his son's killing in order to protect Haddock.