Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
NO DEEFENCE
UDA thug Coleman jailed as terror chief warned ‘You’re next’
DEE Coleman’s UDA boss was warned yesterday that “nobody is untouchable”.
The move came as the C Company second in command became the first person to be nailed by the Paramilitary Crime Task Force for membership of a proscribed organisation.
As the Shankill terrorist was handed 18 months jail for the offence, as well as for possessing a document bearing an oath of allegiance to the gang, PCTF boss Bobby Singleton told the Mirror they believe they have identified “key figures” in C Company.
He said: “We believe we have a reasonable understanding of who the group are in terms of key figures and it follows that if the organisation is a target then we’ll target the individuals. We’re looking at them in fine grain detail.”
CREDIBILITY
Evidence that helped jail Coleman was texts he sent in which he appeared to suggest the organisation was losing “credibility and support” but that he was trying to “reassert it”.
One message, that was part of the police case, was signed off “qs 2nd batt c coy” in a reference to the UDA’S Quis Separabit logo.
Asked if the people the messages were sent to are being looked at by police, DS Singleton said there are already “files sitting with the PPS”.
At Belfast Crown Court, 32-year old Coleman was described by Judge Geoffrey Miller as having responsibility in the UDA at a “local level” as opposed to being a “directing figure”.
DS Singleton insisted “nobody is untouchable”, but added his team can go after leaders who are “hands off when it comes to criminality”.
The HMRC and the National Crime Agency are “following the money” terror bosses make from drugs and extortion.
The Judge also described the UDA as steeped in “thuggery, extortion and drug dealing ... which offers nothing to the community it leeches off.”
A prosecutor said a number of items were seized during searches of properties linked to Coleman in June last year.
In one, police saw a black UFF flag flying at the house, while a phone was located in a second property.
The court heard further searches were carried out, and on October 17 last year police recovered a document used to swear an oath of allegiance to the UDA and which bore Coleman’s fingerprints
The prosecutor revealed a text was sent to multiple recipients which said (SIC): “Lads the more ya look around the more ya realise were defo back on our feet and it feels gd when the world put us down and laughed at us not to many laughing now is there but always keep our feet on the floor we don’t show of or act big lads we dont need to and its done us wonders no fighting or s**t.
“Well the last two years say it all the future lads togeather and go forward watp qs 2nd batt c coy.”
One person responded by writing “QS bro”.
The prosecutor said it was the Crown’s case the text was linked to the UDA – especially “watp” for “we are the people” and “QS” for “Quis Separabit”. Defence barrister Charles Maccreanor QC said Coleman’s plea should be welcomed by the Crown, as there would have been difficulties in prosecuting the case. He claimed the majority of the evidence against his client was “hearsay and circumstantial”.