Trio who torched car used in murder fail to have jail terms cut

THREE men jailed for destroying the getaway car used in the murder of loyalist paramilitary boss John Boreland have failed in a bid to have their sentences reduced.

The Court of Appeal rejected claims there were flaws in the process leading to the prison terms imposed on Darren McAllister, Thomas O’Hara and Thomas Pearson.

Dismissing their challenges, Lord Chief Justice Sir Declan Morgan said: “Their conduct was carried out with full knowledge of the background to the terrorist incident.”

Boreland (46) was shot dead outside his north Belfast home in August 2016.

A gunman opened fire on the loyalist at Sunningdale Gardens as he walked back from his local bar.

McAllister (35), of Carrs Glen Park in Belfast; O’Hara (31), with an address in Kilburney, Scotland; and Pearson (63), from Rathglynn in Antrim, were all convicted of perverting the

Shot: John Boreland

course of justice in connection with the killing.

Pearson, who also faced a count of making property available to terrorists — the Renault Megane car used by the murderers — received a total sentence of six years. McAllister was handed a term of five years, while O’Hara was sentenced to four years and nine months.

The court heard that the Megane had been seen performing a U-turn in the Sunningdale area at the time of the murder.

Seconds later shots were fired and Boreland was found slumped between two cars. The following day the car was identified on CCTV being driven in convoy with a Nissan Micra vehicle.

A tracking device fitted to the Micra showed it had been driven to Wheeler’s Road in the Belfast Hills — the same isolated road where the Megane was subsequently found burned out.

The judge who imposed the jail terms described the murder as a “cold-blooded assassination”.

But the trio challenged those sentences, claiming errors in relation to the starting point in the process.

High-profile loyalist Andre Shoukri, a close associate of the murder victim, was present in court for the appeal hearing.

Sir Declan said he had identified no flaws in the sentencing exercise.

“The three appellants all knew exactly what the offence was and what the background in relation to it was,” he said.

The Chief Justice confirmed: “In our view, the (trial judge’s) approach to this case was impeccable and could not be criticised.”