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Hundreds attend former UVF leader Gusty Spence's funeral in Belfast | |
(about 1 hour later) | |
Hundreds of mourners have attended the funeral of the former loyalist leader Gusty Spence. | |
A number of friends and family members spoke at the service at St Michael's Church of Ireland on the Shankill Road. | |
In keeping with his wishes, there were no paramilitary trappings and his coffin was draped with the regimental flag of the Royal Ulster Rifles, in which he served. | |
He will be buried in Bangor. | |
The 78-year-old died in hospital at the weekend after a long illness. | The 78-year-old died in hospital at the weekend after a long illness. |
In the 1960s, he founded the modern Ulster Volunteer Force, an organisation which was responsible for hundreds of sectarian murders during the Troubles. | In the 1960s, he founded the modern Ulster Volunteer Force, an organisation which was responsible for hundreds of sectarian murders during the Troubles. |
He was jailed for life for the murder of a Catholic barman in 1966 and served 18 years in prison. | He was jailed for life for the murder of a Catholic barman in 1966 and served 18 years in prison. |
He then became involved in politics and announced the landmark loyalist paramilitary ceasefires in 1994. | He then became involved in politics and announced the landmark loyalist paramilitary ceasefires in 1994. |
In the 1960s, he founded the Ulster Volunteer Force, which was responsible for hundreds of murders during the Troubles. |