Glenanne Gang member jailed for sending letter to victim signed East Tyrone UVF

Denis Mullen was murdered by the notorious gang in the presence of his four-year-old daughter Denise, who was covered in blood and heard gunmen fire 13 shots at her mother, as she fled across fields.

Although Beattie, 64, of Moss Road, Portadown accepted sending the letter he denied any malicious intent but was convicted.

The case was adjourned for pre-sentence reports however while Beattie was told to attend court yesterday in person, he decided to appear by video-link from his solicitor’s office, citing concerns for his security and Press attentions.

District Judge Michael Ranaghan said: “Mr Beattie is very much willing to engage in self-publicity when it suits him. I give no credence to anything he says. Either he appears or an arrest warrant will be issued.”

Further time was allowed and a defence barrister explained a taxi had been ordered to bring Beattie to court.

He duly appeared – over two hours late.

Ms Mullan and her mother were in attendance at court, accompanied by family and friends.

Last month, Ms Mullan told Dungannon Magistrate’s Court of “legal and personal” issues with Beattie.

“The legal issue is, I am trying to seize his assets, and the personal issue is he murdered my father,” she said.

Although anxious, she accepted his invitation to meet, as “it’s been 46 years and I’m actively seeking accountability”.

During this, Beattie discussed his UVF involvement, being offered a gun, instructions that Ms Mullan’s parents were to be murdered and a fourth person firing a gun into the air after the murder to indicate, “A job well done.”

Beattie refused to name him but tried to “broker a deal” to have the litigation dropped.

Sometime later Ms Mullan’s legal action was published in the media and in September 2020 she received a letter signed “East Tyrone UVF”.

Beattie accepted writing this, claiming it was intended to prevent “long-term effects on Northern Ireland, the Good Friday Agreement and consequences on Ms Mullan’s health, her family but not on her life”.

Judge Ranaghan told Beattie: “The devasting, cowardly and murderous acts impacted on Ms Mullan and continue to do so.

“In effect, you ruined her life. You compounded that by your vicious, cowardly actions in sending that letter.

“I do not believe there is one genuine drop of remorse in your body. You pushed it to the wire. You made Ms Mullan get in the witness box.”

Beattie was jailed for 15 months bound by a Restraining Order preventing contact or public comment on Ms Mullan or her family.

The defence indicated their intention to appeal however Judge Ranaghan refused to release Beattie ahead of this.

——— ———

A message from the Editor:

Thank you for reading this story on our website. While I have your attention, I also have an important request to make of you.

With the coronavirus lockdowns having had a major impact on many of our advertisers — and consequently the revenue we receive — we are more reliant than ever on you taking out a digital subscription.

Subscribe to newsletter.co.uk and enjoy unlimited access to the best Northern Ireland and UK news and information online and on our app. With a digital subscription, you can read more than 5 articles, see fewer ads, enjoy faster load times, and get access to exclusive newsletters and content.

Visit

https://www.newsletter.co.uk/subscriptions

now to sign up.

Our journalism costs money and we rely on advertising, print and digital revenues to help to support them. By supporting us, we are able to support you in providing trusted, fact-checked content for this website.

Ben Lowry, Editor