Gary Haggarty '˜wanted to hound and expose fellow informer and terror chief'

Gary Haggarty wanted to hound and expose a well-known fellow informer and terror chief, a court has been told.
Mark Haddock (left) and Gary HaggartyMark Haddock (left) and Gary Haggarty
Mark Haddock (left) and Gary Haggarty

Mark Haddock was shot and badly injured during an attack in north Belfast in 2006 but survived.

Haggarty has admitted that he was part of a conspiracy to kill the former leading Ulster Volunteer Force (UVF) member.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

It was one of a series of feuds between rival loyalists outlined in court which also saw Haggarty vow to empty a machine gun into a car containing Ulster Defence Association (UDA) kingpin Johnny Adair.

Prosecuting barrister Ciaran Murphy QC said: “He suspected Haddock was an informer, the defendant said he wanted him hounded so he had nowhere to go.

“He said he wanted him exposed as a tout, which would make him vulnerable on his release from custody.”

Haggarty was feeding information to police handlers, the court was told.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Yet he visited a forest grave dug in preparation for another alleged “tout”, the prosecutor told the court, as part of the ruthless pursuit of suspected informers.

Haggarty has admitted assisting offenders involved in a murder bid on Haddock.

The former Police Ombudsman Dame Nuala O’Loan’s report focused on Haddock as the main informer at the centre of her investigation into police collusion with killers. Haddock was named in the Irish parliament as a UVF killer.

Haggarty intimidated Haddock into withdrawing a statement to police during other legal proceedings, Belfast Crown Court was told on Wednesday.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Mr Murphy said: “He sent others to intimidate the entire family.”

The litany of charges read out in court included involvement in violent disputes with the loyalist splinter group the Loyalist Volunteer Force (LVF) and the UDA.

The barrister said former UDA figures Adair and John White were seen in White’s car outside Haggarty’s Mount Vernon home in north Belfast.

Haggarty armed himself with a Sten gun and another man brought an AK 47 machine gun, the court was told.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Mr Murphy said: “The defendant stated that he intended to empty the full clip into the car if they returned.

“They never did return.”

Related topics: