Loyalist Winston Rea denies 19 terror charges

Winston Churchill Rea, who appeared in Belfast Crown Court in a wheelchair, denied a total of 19 offences including aiding and abetting murder, conspiracy to murder and membership of the Red Hand Commando.

As the charges were put to the 66-year old, from Springwell Crescent in Groomsport, relatives of the murdered men named on the bill of indictment sat in the public gallery.

Included in the charges faced by ‘Winkie’ Rea are conspiring to murder Catholic men John Devine in July 1989 and John O’Hara in April 1991.

Mr Devine, 37, was shot in front of his teenage son in west Belfast while Mr O’Hara, a 41-year-old taxi driver, was lured to his murder in the south of the city.

Rea has also been charged with conspiring with others to threaten to kill LVF leader Billy Wright in August 1996.

During the hearing, all 19 offences were put to Rea, who replied “not guilty” when each of the charges was put to him. The charges range from November 1973 to August 1996.

As well as the membership and murder-related charges, Rea is also facing firearms and other terrorist-related offences – including conspiring to possess firearms secured from the Ulster Resistance on dates between November 1986 and October 1994.

He has also been charged with encouraging the murder of “persons working in shops selling An Phoblacht in republican and nationalist areas” between November 1977 and October 1994.

After denying all 19 offences, Judge Patricia Smyth asked that the case be listed for mention on December 8. At this stage, no date has been set for the Diplock non-jury trial.

When she heard there were no objections from the Crown for continuing bail, the judge told Rea he was free to leave the court.