Accused in UDA feud murder of top loyalist Gilmore refused bail

ONE of the men charged with murdering prominent loyalist George Gilmore has failed in a new bid to secure High Court bail.

Lawyers for Brian McLean (35) argued he should be released because of the alleged unreliability of key prosecution witnesses to the killing in Carrickfergus in Co Antrim.

It was disclosed that two of Gilmore’s associates who say McLean was alongside the gunman had previously claimed they were abducted and beaten as part of the same paramilitary feud. Weeks later the pair withdrew those statements of complaint, a judge was told.

Defence barrister Paul Bacon contended: “This is one faction conspiring against another.”

But Madam Justice McBride ruled the change of circumstances was not sufficient for bail to be granted.

George ‘Geordie’ Gilmore (44) died after being hit by bullets fired at his car on the Woodburn housing estate on March 13 as part of a year-long dispute between his grouping and the UDA’s south east Antrim unit.

McLean, of The Birches in Carrickfergus, is charged with murder along with the alleged gunman, 28-year-old Samuel David McMaw, from Starbog Road in Kilwaughter. Both men face further counts of attempting to murder two of Gilmore’s associates and other offences. They deny all the charges.

Two men, allegedly identified by witnesses as McMaw and McLean, were spotted standing in the Cherry Walk area. McMaw was allegedly seen crouching down in an alleyway, attempting to pull a balaclava over his face and brandishing a gun. As Gilmore tried to speed off, up to eight shots were fired from a 9mm pistol.

McLean, known as ‘Scotch Brian’, is charged with the murder on a joint enterprise basis.

But his legal team claimed two of Gilmore’s associates who identified him as being at the scene are unreliable. These two men have retracted separate statements that they were kidnapped and attacked by members of the UDA in south east Antrim last year, the court heard.

However, the judge pointed out that two others allegedly link McLean to the shooting, including an independent witness. Denying bail, she added: “This is a case where there’s an ongoing feud and… a serious risk of further offending.”